More events added to our Winter/Spring Season

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We’ve added more events to our Winter-Spring season including award-winning performers and comedians, brand-new shows from ‘supported by’ artists & the return of our Christmas Festival.

 

  • Our Winter/Spring programme kicks off next month with the return of the Unity Christmas Festival, where the venue will host a selection box of events, performances, parties and gigs celebrating Liverpool’s creative community.

 

  • From Spring 2023, Unity welcome back some of the very best companies and performers from across the country including David Hoyle and Jen Heyes’ acclaimed cinematic reimagining Hedda (after Ibsen), plus award-winning comedians Sophie Duker, Jayde Adams and Fern Brady.

 

  • Closer to home, our 2023 programme also features productions from Liverpool-based companies including 20 Stories High’s brand-new Hip Hop show LOOPS in partnership with Unity and Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Algebra – a new play by Stuart Crowther, and Rowena Gander’s Barley Visible, which returns to Unity following a sell-out national tour.

 

  • Unity’s Second Open Call Programme comes to a close this Spring with the launch of Raven Radha’s innovative new debut music project Gaslit, Josh Coates’ Sunday Morning – a hybrid digital theatre performance which acts as a walking tour of the internet, and Saphena Aziz’s Martha, Me and My Family – the story of wannabe star Saphena who is invited to sing backing vocals with Motown icon Martha Reeves.

 

Full press release:

Today, Unity Theatre, Liverpool announces more events in their Winter-Spring season including award-winning performers and comedians, brand-new shows from ‘supported by’ artists & the return of their annual Christmas Festival.

 

The programme kicks off with Unity’s annual Christmas Festival. The 2022 festival features 5 events across the month, beginning with the return of the Unity Night Market – exhibiting the best of local food, drink, craft and art, soundtracked by Liverpool-based musicians and performers. The December programme also features performances from two of Unity’s resident companies – RAWD and 20 Stories High. RAWD – a Merseyside based company dedicated to championing disabled artists and putting their voices centre stage – present Freezin’, a cold winter tale about 3 ice queens cursing the land. 20 Stories High Youth Theatre present a winter sharing of short scripts, poetry, music, song from their weekly sessions at Unity. Families are invited to join Diana Frost and The Arctic Funkees for an epic family gig from Yemi Bolatiwa and Z-Arts. Twas’ the Gig Before Christmas is the perfect festive family treat with storytelling, dancing and live music all in one! Finally, Unity will be hosting a Creative Christmas Party in collaboration with creatives organisations around the Liverpool City Region, giving freelancers, creatives and artists the chance to celebrate with live bands, mulled wine and a raffle.

 

From Spring 2023, Unity welcome back some of the very best companies and performers from across the UK to their stage. In February, David Hoyle and Jen Heyes bring their acclaimed cinematic theatre reimagining Hedda (after Ibsen) to Unity for a screening and Q&A. Set in a Lynchesque inspired world of dream imagery, drama, bespoke sound design, music and chanteuse style singing; the iconic avant-garde performer David Hoyle is HEDDA in this one-person adaption by Jen Heyes. Award-winning comedian Sophie Duker and Strictly Come Dancing Star Jayde Adams also feature this Spring, with Fern Brady’s Autistic Bikini Queen returning following a sell-out run in Summer 2022.

 

Closer to home, Unity’s 2023 programme also features brand-new and returning work from some of Liverpool’s most exciting performers and companies. 20 Stories High and Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse in association with Unity present LOOPS – a brand-new Hip-Hop theatre show Written by Keith Saha, bursting with heavy beats, beautiful lyricism, and raw energy. Following a day in the life of Djibi – a young Black man living in a largely white area of Liverpool – LOOPS grapples with Stop and Search, institutional police racism and how it affects Djibi’s relationships with his family, friends, and wider community.

 

Algebra, a new play by Stuart Crowther, also premieres at Unity this Spring and asks what happens when living your truth makes someone else a ‘liar’. Rowena Gander returns with Barley Visible following a national tour. Originally a Unity Open Call 2021 supported show, Barely Visible is an empowering physical solo performance that brings focus to common issues that queer women face, including sexualisation, (fe)male gaze and what it feels like to live in the shadows. More national touring productions will be announced soon.

 

Unity’s Second Open Call Programme comes to a close this Spring with the launch of Raven Radha’s innovative new debut music project Gaslit, Josh Coates’ Sunday Morning – a hybrid digital theatre performance which acts as a walking tour of the internet, and Saphena Aziz’s Martha, Me and My Family – the story of wannabe star Saphena who is invited to sing backing vocals with Motown icon Martha Reeves. Flood Theatre FINALLY make their long-awaited debut with Touch following multiple pandemic cancellations and Izzy Campbell join’s the Spring Open Call line-up with You Are My Sunshine – a brand-new play about the experience of being a young carer.

 

Following the success of the 2021 and 2022 Open Call programmes, in which Unity have supported over 40 Liverpool creatives & companies with over £78,000 of support and funding, today Unity are also delighted to exclusively announce the return of the Open Call for 2023 – offering more Liverpool artists the chance to develop and perform. Applications will open in Spring and will once again provide up to 20 more Merseyside-based creatives with income, mentoring, resource and a slot in our Autumn 2023 programme.

 

Gordon Millar, CEO and Artistic Direct of Unity says

“We’re delighted to add more shows to our Winter-Spring season. It is a pleasure to welcome back the likes of David Hoyle, Fern Brady and Rowena Gander who we know our audiences here at Unity and in Liverpool absolutely adore. Likewise, it is always an immense privilege to be able to present work from our partner and resident companies RAWD and 20 Stories High. I’m particularly excited to work in association with 20 Stories High and our neighbours at Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse on LOOPS, which will be touring around the city following a performance here with us. Finally, as our 2022 Open Call programme concludes with more exciting premiers from Liverpool-based artists this Spring, we’re chuffed we can today announce that Open Call will return for 2023. Having programmed over 40 local artists to date through this scheme, we can’t wait to open up applications early next year and discover even more brilliant work being created across Liverpool.”