Meet the 21 Merseyside-based artists and companies who make up our 2022 Open Call Programme. In alphabetical order…

 

Arianna Sansone
Benjamina Albanese
Beth Westbrook
Brodie Arthur
Dan Chan
Daniel O’Dempsey & Red Lite Radio
Daniel Start
Despite The Monkey
Eilidh Bryan & Headstrung
Family Hive
Frankie Blaus
Ginni Manning & Laura Hague
Izzy Campbell
Jay Farley (aka Little Doll)
Josh Coates
Kazia Cannon
Marcella Rick
Paul Betney
Raven Radha
Saphena Aziz
Travelled Companions

 

With over 200 applications for this year’s Open Call, we were once again blown away by the creativity on display across all six borough of Merseyside.

Today, after a long shortlisting process, we are delighted to share with you the 21 artists who will feature in our programme this year.  This final line-up reflects the creativity, character, stories and talent of the city and its people. These artists are distinct in what they offer, both through the work they create and the ideas they communicate.

The 2022 Open Call programme includes nine brand-new plays, two new-writing festivals, two interactive theatre premieres, an audio experience walking tour, an immersive cabaret night, comedy, puppetry, an off-site artist showcase, an EP launch, community workshops, creative sessions, a care home project and much more.

We are delighted to be working with the 21 names below, as they develop their work and share it with the people of Liverpool and beyond.

It is a true privilege having them be part of our programme.

To find out more about the individual events and book for performances, visit our What’s On page.

 

Meet The Artists:

Arianna Sansone

Arianna Sansone is a contemporary dance artist. In her performance, she combines dance and technology to create new forms of communication.

Arianna presents Body ­– an interactive performance developed using element of dance, theatre and digital technology, taking you on a journey into a 30-year-old woman’s mind.

Part of Up Next Weekender – October.

 

Benjamina Albenese

Liverpool-born queer woman, Benjamina Albanese, is a chronically ill writer and creative who’s particularly interested in suppressed stories and sustainability.

Benjamina presents Beyond The Frame – exploring the physical identities that cling to us and how we use them to navigate and interact with the world around us.

Part of Up Next Weekender – October.

 

Beth Westbrook

Beth is an award nominated neurodivergent (autistic, adhd, dyspraxic) writer and performer with chronic pain, keen on improving disabled representation. Beth is an alumni of the Royal Court Introduction to playwriting course, Young Everyman Playhouse Writers, the Royal Court Stage Write program and is the co-founder of the Neurodivergent Creatives Network

Beth presents Awareness – the Women’s Prize for Playwriting shortlisted play about the reluctant autistic influencer Aurora, whole life has been shared online as part of her and her mother Emma’s social media.

Part of Up Next Weekender – October.

 

Brodie Arthur

Brodie Arthur is a writer, actor, activist and facilitator from Liverpool 8, using their creative crafts to tackle subjects and issues in society that have directly affected her and those around her.

Brodie presents Family Healing – a co-created dynamic and intimate new play with Leah Watson-Lee, following the story of two siblings with conflicting views of their childhood.

Part of Up Next Weekender – September.

 

Dan Chan:

Dan Chan (they/them) is a Liverpool based visual and drag artist. Their work takes a playful approach to explore their identity. They create safe spaces through artworks performance. A main aspect of their work is creating representation they never saw growing up for queer British Asian youth. www.danchanartist.com

Dan presents BLIP! – an immersive, artful cabaret spotlighting artists and performers from Asian backgrounds to celebrate and share our stories with everyone!

 

Dan O’Dempsey & Red Lite Radio

Dan O’Dempsey is a contemporary artist from Liverpool with a keen interest in socially

engaged creative practice and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Dan presents Red Lite Radio – an interdisciplinary collaborative project aimed at giving artists from across Merseyside the opportunity to work together.

 

Daniel Start

Danny currently works for Knowsley Disability Concern. He runs reading groups for people with learning disabilities and hopes to encourage learning disabled people to make their own stories.

Danny presents ‘Remember That You Loved Someone’ –  a new play that follows the life of Maria, a successful architect who is slowly dissolving in an ocean of delusion and receding memory.

Part of Up Next Weekender – October.

 

Despite The Monkey

Despite the Monkey is a theatre company whose work uses 3D sound and new technology to tell stories on stage.

Despite the Monkey will be running an R&D week developing Beast in the Jungle – a radical interpretation of Henry James’ classic novella and supersonic exploration of the unchecked effects of anxiety on a human life.

 

Eilidh Bryan & Headstrung

Eilidh Bryan is a Liverpool based artist, puppet maker and puppeteer. She is also co- director of Headstrung Puppets, making and performing puppet-based shows around the UK.

Eilidh presents Mirror Mirror – a puppet show contained within a giant puppet about the thing that lurks under your bed, for fans of Dark fairytale, 80’s horror, Stranger Things and Jim Henson’s Labyrinth.

Part of Up Next Weekender – September.

 

Frankie Blaus

frankie blaus is an enby/nd/queer/wc writer + performer working in theatre + poetry. they do not trust the word “and”. curiosity-oriented, frankie is drawn to the Weird + Wonder-full; seeking to remind the world of its innate Weird-ness.

frankie presents Darling, Leave The Light On… – using drama and poetry, to explore the lived experience of a memory; synesthesia; autism; intergenerational care; + when the lights go out, what it means to have only one’s history for company.

Part of Up Next Weekender – October.

 

Family Hive

Family Hive is an L8 based creative organisation delivering dynamic arts events that bring local families and artists together to play, make, move and grow! Our work champions and celebrates everything about where we live, and promotes making our communities more inclusive and sustainable through creative activity.

Family Hive will be running Family Creative Sessions – a chance to make, play, create and grow together. Events will take place on the last Sunday of every month from September to November and include elements of performance, play, making and more to fire your imaginations and create fun filled moments. For little people and their grownups!

 

 

Ginni Manning and Laura Hague

Ginni Manning is a playwright, theatre maker, writer and creative facilitator from Liverpool. Her work has been performed nationally and internationally. Laura Hague is a London based dance artist and choreographer, working professionally in the commercial and contemporary dance industries.

This is a work in progress with words by Ginni Manning and movement by Laura Hague. This explores the experience of women coming out after living a heterosexual life for decades and the questions, answers and realisations this causes. It’s about-facing chaos and choosing to make your own rules.

 

Izzy Campbell

Izzy Campbell is an Actor, Singer and Writer from Liverpool, at the start of her theatre making journey with her first play ‘You Are My Sunshine’.

Izzy presents ‘You Are My Sunshine’ –  a story with a lot of heart, told through difficult conversations, dealing with what is means to be a young carer, the complexities of family and the resilience of the human spirit.

Part of Up Next Weekender – September.

 

Jay Farley (aka Little Doll)

Jay Farley (aka Little Doll) is an award-winning filmmaker and digital artist.  In 2021, aged 47, Jay came out as non-binary and after finally finding inclusive language and validity they started writing gritty, witty and honest poetry exploring gender identity.

Jay presents Beyond Binary – an autobiographical performance from the perspective of Little Doll, aka Jay Farley; a 48-year-old non-binary artist who finally has the language to make them valid. And they’re going to use it!

Part of Up Next Weekender – September.

 

Josh Coates:

Josh Coates is a theatre maker based in Liverpool who creates performances about people, with people. He was a founding member of award-winning theatre company Powder Keg and was a supported artist at the Royal Exchange, Manchester. He has collaborated with Blast Theory, Belarus Free Theatre and Dan Bye. @j_jcoates

Josh presents Sunday Morning – a hybrid digital theatre performance which acts as a walking tour of the internet, connecting histories of private land ownership to contemporary ecological crises.

 

Kazia Cannon:

Kazia Cannon is a Welsh Feminist Theatre Maker and Digital Arts Practitioner, originally from Conwy now based in Liverpool. Kazia’s work centres itself around Feminist/women issue, looking at the core perception of women juxtaposed with being a women.

Kazia presents The Idea is to Keep You Safe – a 30-minute meditative walking experience where audiences will listen to women talk about their experience safety on our streets.

 

Marcella Rick

Marcella is a queer, neurodivergent writer, who’s creations explore relationships and identity. Their work celebrates queerness in all its forms.

Marcella presents Introducing Polly – a show full of lesbians, polyamory and gender questioning that brings new meaning to the phrase f**k around and find out!

Part of Up Next Weekender – September.

 

Paul Betney

Paul Betney is a psychotherapeutic counsellor in private practice. His work focuses mainly on family trauma, anxiety and ill health. He also has a background in stand-up comedy and now wants to combine these two passions in his new show. He has lived with Parkinson’s Disease for almost 30 years.

Paul presents Old Dog, New Tricks – a journey out of emotional turmoil and into the world. A story of healing, growth and finding the joy.

Part of Up Next Weekender – October.

 

Raven Radha:

Raven Radha is a multidisciplinary artist with an international background. Born in India, she grew up travelling the world, shaped by a mystical and unconventional life. From poignant philosophical lyricism in her poetry and music, to vulnerable exploration of emotions and pain, Raven’s work is powerful and thought-provoking.

Raven presents GASLIT – the launch of her innovative new debut music project, featuring a live violinist, striking psychedelic visuals and more to be announced soon.

 

Saphena Aziz:

Saphena Aziz is an independent theatre producer helping develop the work of new and emerging writers from initial idea to the stage.  As a performer and writer herself she has produced work for TV, film and stage and continues to develop her own creative practice whilst helping others to do the same.

Saphena presents Martha, Me and My Family  – the story of wannabe star Saphena who, at the age 17 is invited to sing backing vocals with Motown icon Martha Reeves.  The story weaves in tales of ancestors and the British colonial legacy in a funny and poignant play.

 

Travelled Companions

Travelled Companions specialise in creating original, imaginative and engaging theatre for young audiences. Using music, movement and storytelling, we create stimulating theatrical environments for children to explore.

Travelled Companions present Albert is Moving – is a playful and interactive look at how an elderly gentleman and his daughter reflect on time gone by and what they think of him moving forwards into his twilight years. This piece of theatre will be taken into the community for different generations to enjoy together, inspired by our creative sessions within care homes in the city.

 

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