ARENA THEATRE THEATRE DANCE MUSIC COMEDY Jan-July 2023 BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321 • BOOK ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk [ [
Welcome to the Spring 2023 season at the Arena Theatre, University of Wolverhampton.
We’re delighted to be bringing an affordable night out to the communities of Wolverhampton and the Black Country once more, with plenty of small-scale theatre, dance and poetry to sink your teeth into.
Blackeyed Theatre are bringing the brand-new John Godber’s Teechers Leavers ’22 to us in February, whilst Extant Theatre make their return to the Arena with their performance of Super Power Panto at the beginning of March which is perfect for families!
If you are looking to bring your little ones along to a performance they can enjoy, we have Roti Moon by Chandi Mistry coming up in March, closely followed by DeNada Dance Theatre’s The Bull and the Moon at the end of April.
Our development evenings are going strong as a free night out too, including Arena Collaborative Theatremakers, Poetry and Story Tellers Assemble (PASTA) and How’ve Yow Been Dragged Up? showcasing the best in local, upcoming talent.
Myself and the team cannot wait to welcome you for another season, and we thank you for your ongoing support
Neil Neil Reading Artistic Director + The Team
CONTENTS
HELLO!
TALK TO US! Keep-up to-date with our latest news, links and last-minute ticket deals, and get an occasional peek behind the scenes... @Arena_Theatre /arenatheatre Performances p06 - p31 Arena Collaborative Theatremakers p19 Poetry and Storytellers p20 Learning and Participation p32 At a Glance p34 How to Book p36 How to Find us p38 Jan-July 2023 BECOME A FRIENDForjust£10ayear,youcanpledgeyour supportfortheArenaTheatre. TobecomeaFriend,calluson 01902 321 321orpopintoour BoxOfficeonWulfrunaStreet.
HIGHLIGHTS Thurs 9 and Fri 10 Feb at 11am - 2pm Thurs 2 March at 6.30pm Sat 4 March, 11am and 2pm Thurs 23 March at 7.30pm Thurs 13 April at 7.30pm Thurs 16 March at 7.30pm Sat 29 April, 11am, 2pm Thurs 25 May at 7.30pm Hamlet Superpower Panto! Roti Moon Verve: Double Bill The Endling 24, 23, 22 The Bull and the Moon Tapped AUDIO DESCRIBED SIGNED (BSL) CAPTIONED BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321 BOOK ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk 06 10 12 16 18 24 26 28
Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists
PERFORMANCES POETRY SLAM
Saturday 28 January
Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists present the annual Wolverhampton Literature Festival Poetry Slam.
Join your MCs, Steve Pottinger, Dave Pitt and Emma Purshouse for a slamtastic Saturday. Witness 15 poets battle it out in a live poetry competition to become slam champion for 2022. Come along and be bedazzled by bardic bravery, whoop for your favourite wordsmith. Who wins? The audience decides.
Tickets: £12
04 PERFORMANCES
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DIA-BEAT-ES
Friday 3 February 7.30pm A new rave/show by Paul O’Donnell Paul is a Type 1 Diabetic, and has been for 28 years. Paul is also a DJ, and has been for about 5 months. Both are challenging skills, a sequence of spinning multiple disks at any one time. Paul is not perfect at either. With Dia-Beat-es he hopes to cross-fade between the two in this mega-mix of sweet sweet music dedicated to the carb counting druggies* like him. Join Paul as he drops beats on the past 27 years of his drug-filled life, mixing in the highs and lows of living as a full time diabetic... and part time DJ. *insulin
Access:
Age
Content
Tickets:
BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk
Paul O’Donnell
AD and CC
guidance 12+
warnings - reference to needles
£12
A family drama of revenge and deciding the right thing to do.
With two actors, one musician and seven items in a suitcase, NIE’s ensemble finds inventive ways to tell this big and most famous of stories in a funny and accessible way. We will take you on a roller-coaster of excitement, humour and grief in equal measure in this bitesize retelling of Shakespeare.
Suitable for ages 8+
Tickets: £12
HAMLET New International Encounter
Thursday 9 and Friday 10 February at 11.00am and 2.00pm
06 PERFORMANCES HAMLET PROVIDED A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BE IMMERSED IN LIVE THEATRE AT SCHOOL. THE PRODUCTION WAS INCREDIBLE. OUR YEAR 6 CHILDREN WERE TRANSFIXED THROUGHOUT THE PERFORMANCE, ENJOYING THE ACTING, LIVE MUSIC AND SINGING Ella Jones, Deputy Headteacher “ “ “ BOX OFFICE
321 321
is
01902
Friday 10 February at 2pm
an audio described performance.
Magic Tie Productions
THE BEST AND MOST SARCASTIC MAGIC SHOW YOU WILL SEE TODAY (PROBABLY)
Comedy, magic & illusion by the comedian magician, Colin Tie. Colin has over 22 years of experience in show business, performing all over the world, on cruise ships, cabaret bars, and comedy comedy clubs.
Saturday 11 February at 7.30pm
If you want a good laugh and a little bit of escapism from reality….then this show is a must see, designed for an adult audience, but suitable for all the family.
PERFORMANCES 07
BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk
Tickets: £12 “
Blackeyed Theatre
Thursday 16 February, Friday 17 February, Saturday 18 February at 7.30pm each evening, 1.00pm on Friday 17
Hilarious, high energy and full blooded, Teechers Leavers ‘22 is an array of terrifying teachers and hopeless pupils through the eyes of Salty, Gail and Hobby; three Year 11 students facing a scary world, armed only with imagination and a joy of theatre.
It’s 2022 at Whitewall, a struggling academy that’s failed its Ofsted. The bell’s gone and they can’t afford a new one. The first fifteen have lost sixty-seven nil and the playing field needs levelling up. Sadly, Whitewall’s led by donkeys.
Unplug, switch off and buckle up for the world premiere tour of Teechers Leavers ‘22, John Godber’s breath-taking, breakneck comedy about education for the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ and a generation left behind.
Recommended for age 11+ Contains strong language Running time: Approx 110 minutes (plus interval) www.blackeyedtheatre.co.uk
Friday 17 February at 7.30pm is an audio described performance. Tickets: £12
08 PERFORMANCES
Starcross Youth Theatre
Thursday 23, Friday 24 and Saturday 25 February 7.00pm each night, and 2.00pm on Saturday
Starcross Youth Theatre return to the Arena this February to bring you their full-scale, 30th year celebration, production of Grease! “Tell me more, tell me more” we hear you cry. Well, book early to be transported back to the 1950’s and Rydell High, packed with all the famous favourites, “You’re The One That I Want”, “Summer Nights”, “Greased Lightning”, “Sandy”, “Hopelessly Devoted” and many more this promises to be an outstanding performance to mark their 30th year!
Tickets: £12 full price and £10 concessions
Book, Music and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Songs: “Hopelessly Devoted To you”, “Sandy”, “You’re The one that I Want” & “Grease” by arrangement with Robert Stigwood. Grease is presented through special arrangement with & all authorized performance materials supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW), 122-124 Regent Street, 5th floor, London W1B 5SA. www.theatricalrights.co.uk
Logo Created and Designed by Maggie Taft and Harry Bogosian.
BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk
PERFORMANCES 09
SUPERPOWER PANTO!
Thursday 2nd March at 6.30pm
SuperPower Panto is a family show that comes to you flying off the pages of a giant comic book set, bringing a host of fun packed characters who need your help to save the day!
Tickets: £12
Join our inclusive super powered cast on an exciting, interactive, 50-minute panto-style show that takes us on an adventure to find out where all our Superpowers are. Come along and join in with Extant, the UK’s leading theatre company of visually impaired performers, and Simply Smiley, the greatest all yearround panto touring company!
12 PERFORMANCES
Extant Theatre
BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321
HIRE
Friday 3 March at 7.30pm
A night of comedy improvisation featuring some of the best improvisers in the Midlands.
The Improv Wolves performers have experience working with companies including The Improlectuals, Foghorn Unscripted, Wow Impro, Birmingham Rep and The Old Joint Stock and come together to perform scenes made up on the spot from audience suggestions.
Every show is different!
Tickets:
PERFORMANCES 11
THE
AN IDEAL VENUE FOR PERFORMANCES, MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES All of our spaces have state-of the-art equipment, full technical support and our own tailored range of hospitality and catering. Contact Neil Reading to discuss hiring the Arena for your production or business event: (01902) 321 321 neil.reading@wlv.ac.uk
ARENA
Chandni Mistry
ROTI MOON
Saturday 4 March at 11.00am and 2.00pm
Diya thinks her roti is yuck! She’d rather eat pizza!.
Her grandad, Dada, tells her that his mother’s, mother’s, mother flipped her roti too high and it landed in the sky. That the moon is a roti! She’s heard that story a million times.
Diya still doesn’t believe him but this time she sets out to find out more about the moon. She meets some charming new animal friends on the way and learns a lot about tolerating other people’s thoughts.
The show is interactive with lots of sounds and actions and before it begins Chandni gives an introduction to theatre for the children, which they love, including a physical and vocal warm up.
12 PERFORMANCES
Tickets: £12
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Kim Cormack
THE BIG O
Wednesday 8 March at 7.30pm
Lucy is “just-your-average-30year-old British woman”; good friends, monogamous and selfless in relationships/on dating apps and hating it when single, a self-proclaimed feminist who struggles to find jeans that fit.
But Lucy’s world is about to be turned upside down, her values, identity and understanding up for debate following an awkward sexual experience and a diagnosis of life-long Anorgasmia. Lucy has never had an orgasm.
The Big O is an original play by emerging West Midlands writer Kim Cormack. The play explores female pleasure, empowerment, and bodily autonomy, 21st century feminism, dating and sex, consent, and healing. An empowering, hilarious, heartbreaking, and relevant piece for every woman (and everyone who cares about women).
Tickets: £12
PERFORMANCES 13
Alice Christina-Corrigan
PAST LIFE
Thursday 16 March at 7.30pm
Past Life with Alice Christina-Corrigan is a genre-bending, multi-sensory and creatively accessible exploration into the normalisation of sexual assault in relationships.
Past Life creatively intertwines access into its heart, using creative captioning, audio descriptive language and soundscapes to evoke a new and dynamic way of making theatre. We follow Kiera (and Betty the Brain) as they navigate through their new life, full of art classes, boxing rings, tears, fights and coming to terms with trauma.
Age Restrictions: This performance is for audiences of ages 14+ with parental advisory.
Trigger Warning/Disclaimer: This performance contains references to sexual themes, sexual assault and abuse.
Tickets: £12
CAP
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TONGUE-TIED AND TWISTED
Saturday 18 March at 7.30pm
Indian tales with a contemporary twist.
Tongue Tied & Twisted blasts Indian storytelling into the 21st century combining the talents of UK music producer PKCtheFirst on stage with international Storyteller Peter Chand.
This show celebrates the art of live storytelling fusing a unique blend of Urban Hip Hop and classical South Asian sounds. Together, Peter and PKCtheFirst present a unique live experience which bridges cultures and generations, and has enthralled audiences across Britain, and also in Croatia, The Netherlands, and Canada.
Suitable for adults (and 14 years and over) Tickets: £12
Peter Chand
NO WORDS TO EXPRESS HOW FANTASTIC IT WAS. ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW!!! I COULDN’T SLEEP WAS STILL THINKING OF THOSE STORIES ALCHEMY FESTIVAL SOUTHBANK CENTRE LONDON [ “ “ [ PERFORMANCES 15
Northern School of Contemporary Dance
VERVE: TRIPLE BILL
Thursday 23 March at 7.30pm
VERVE presents a striking programme of three new dance works from outstanding artists.
Award-winning choreographer and creator of Extended Play, Jamaal Burkmaar creates a new work exploring complex physicality and exquisite timing.
In work by Faye Tan of National Dance Company Wales, the dancers become intoxicated by rhythm and sensation, resulting in moments of catharsis and pure joy.
Lastly, acclaimed Spanish duo KOR’SIA combine striking visuals with a cinematic feel to produce an ambitious, large-scale work.
Tickets: £12
4 BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321 18 PERFORMANCES
BOX OFFICE
01902 321 321
2019 OPEN DAYS Undergraduate 17 August 12 October 16 November Postgraduate 19 September 28 November 4 PERFORMANCES 2019 OPEN DAYS Undergraduate 2 February 15 June 17 August Postgraduate 21 March 27 June BOOK NOW AT: WLV.AC.UK/OPENDAY 2023 OPEN DAYS BOOK NOW AT: WLV.AC.UK/OPENDAY JUNIORS SHOWCASE Starcross Youth Theatre Sunday 26 March at 4pm Tickets: £10 BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk PERFORMANCES 17 Join Starcross Youth Theatre with their Junior members this March at the Arena Theatre as they continue their 30th year celebrations with a special Juniors Showcase. Supported by some Senior members this promises to be an afternoon of pure entertainment packed full of musical theatre numbers to delight both young and old.
Thursday 13 April at 7.30pm
In a time of rapid environmental extinction - Strange Futures Theatre Company use their ‘powerful physicality’ (The Scotsman 2019) to raise the discussion of our impact and responsibility as humans within the world. Using humour and a quirky perspective, The Endling performance gently asks, “What if it was you, if you were the last individual of the species, The Endling? “ Visually beautiful, and laugh out loud funny, join Strange Futures, as they use their ‘Powerful Physicality’ (Scotsman 2019) to discuss environmental and species extinction, in their new show, The Endling. Tickets: : £12
BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321
THE ENDLING
“REMARKABLE PHYSICAL DEXTERITY”, “THOUGHTFUL AND REFRESHINGLY NON-ACCUSATORY SHOW. WORTH WATCHING” [ [
Futures LONDON THEATRE1
Strange
We are looking for writers, performers, devisers, directors and designers to join us.
Arena Collaborative Theatremakers (ACT) allows students, graduates, and local artists the space to develop their own work, with support from industry professionals. The collective meets in the Tilstone Studio at the Arena, giving an opportunity for artists to present their ‘work in progress’ to a small audience, allowing them to develop their projects in a safe, creative space.
Are you an artist based in Wolverhampton
any
of the
ACT meeting dates this spring: 7 FEBRUARY 4 APRIL 9 MAY 6 JUNE { { TUESDAYS AT 7.30PM Free to attend. PERFORMANCES 19
with an interest in
aspect
performing arts?
PASTA is an open mic night with a difference. Each month we ask people to perform a piece they’ve written on a theme which was chosen at the previous event. (We’ll advertise the theme on social media and online so everyone can join in).
Then we have a break so folk can grab a drink and have a chat. Depending on numbers and the vibe we might draw another theme out the hat and see what people can create in
the short time of the break – a chance to try your hand at speed writing and see what you come up with. Or, if people prefer, we may just come back and open the floor for open mics on any subject.
If you want to perform simply pop along to the night and see Emma, Dave, or Steve. Slots are about five minutes long, and we’re especially keen to welcome people who haven’t performed before.
S T A
POETS AND STORYTELLERS ASSEMBLE { { 24 JANUARY 21 MARCH 18 APRIL 23 MAY 20 JUNE { { TUESDAYS AT 7.30PM Free to attend. 20 COLLABORATIVE THEATREMAKERS
How’ve Yow Been Dragged Up?
Are
you a local drag artist who has been itching
How’ve Yow Been Dragged Up? Is the newest addition to the Arena Theatre’s development programme, providing a safe and inclusive platform for local drag artists to try out and receive feedback on their latest acts and projects.
Hosted by a local West Midlands artist, How’ve Yow Been Dragged Up? will meet in the Tilstone Studio at the Arena Theatre, and the evening will welcome drag artists (regardless of experience and background) to come and develop their work in front of a small audience of fellow professionals and enthusiasts.
POETRY AND STORYTELLERS 25 BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321 18 ARENA THEATRE
to perform
To book your slot, please e-mail our Access and Inclusion Manager, Kirsty Povey, at K.Povey2@wlv.ac.uk Meeting dates this Spring: 28 FEBRUARY 28 MARCH 25 APRIL 30 MAY 27 JUNE { { TUESDAYS AT 7.30PM
your latest act? Are you passionate about drag as an artform?
Discerning Nights
THE BLUE BADGE BUNCH
Saturday 15 April at 7.30pm
5 YEARS
Friday 14 April at 7.30pm
Would you exchange five years of your life for the perfect body?
Yasmin has decided that she would. She is about to undertake a radical procedure that promises to deliver the perfect body and the happiness that seems just out ofreach. But at what cost? 5 Years is a new comedy–drama that asks, ‘what do welose in the pursuit of perfection?
Tickets: £12
“The disability ‘Taskmaster’!” A hilarious gameshow where each game represents a different disability, giving kids and grown ups the chance to learn about Autism and Cerebral Palsy among others. Host Benny Shakes invites the audience to help join in the games, while resident panellist Mark Nicholas and a guest comedian battle it out to come up trumps, in a show where disadvantage is an advantage!
Developed with support from New Art Exchange Nottingham, Arts Council England and Attenborough Arts Centre and fresh from an Edinburgh Fringe run at the Pleasance 2022.
Shortlisted for the Neurodiverse Representation Award.
Tickets: £12
Rebecca Gadsby
EXTREMELY INCLUSIVE. A YOUNGISH PERSPECTIVE “ “ CLEVERLY THOUGHT OUT AND ENGAGINGLY INTERACTIVE. THREE WEEKS “ “
Jack Dean and Company
VINLAND
Friday 21 April at 7.30pm
A Viking storytelling adventure for ages 8 and up.
By Jack Dean & Company
Set sail with Freydis and her son Snorri on a Viking adventure brought to life through storytelling, animation and live music. Join her crew of explorers as they find out they’re not alone in this strange new land and come face to face with ghosts, monsters and wild gooseberries. Follow Snorri as he confronts an ancient spirit set on revenge and learns the truth about himself.
Vinland retells the incredible true(ish) tale of the Vikings last journey to North America, taking inspiration from the Viking sagas of Erik the Red and his family. Using lyrical storytelling, animation and live music, the show brings the audience into a world where myth and history collide.
Tickets: £12
A GREAT EVENING FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS ALIKE AUDIENCE MEMBER [ “ “ [ IF YOU LIKE VIKINGS AND MYTHS, YOU’LL WANT TO SEE THIS AUDIENCE MEMBER [ “ “ [ PERFORMANCES 23
Chronic Insanity Theatre
24, 23, 22
by Doug Deans
Saturday 22 April at 7.30pm
“There’s something about today. Something’s gonna happen. I don’t know what it is but everything feels a bit like it’s holding its breath.”
It’s just a day. Just an ordinary day. At the beginning of the day, Fran is late for work. At the end of the day, Brendan is bleeding out in the street. Time flows forwards and spirals backwards. Music pulses. Beats blast. Fran progresses through the worst day of her life. Brendan rewinds through his last day alive.
Soon they’ll meet in the middle, and we’ll find out what has happened to him, and what will happen to her.
24, 23, 22 is a gig-theatre show about the heat of the moment, and how our impulses create ripples which become waves. Join our cast of two, armed with handheld mics, and an onstage beat-maker, for this little earthquake of a show. Expect scuzzy beats, stolen bags, and the reversal of the flow of time.
Tickets: £12
BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321 24 PERFORMANCES
Joss Arnott Dance Company
EMERGENCE TRIPLE BILL 2023
Friday 28 April at 7.30pm
Celebrating their 5th anniversary year, the 2023 Emergence touring programme features a new company of dancers and 3 brand new works.
International choreographers Alice Klock and Florian Lochner (FLOCK) have created a physically charged and luscious new work that demonstrates the dancer’s technical skill, exploring the idea of how we’re more powerful than we know.
Anthony Missen’s (Co-Artistic Director, Company Chameleon) new work captures the raw physicality of the dancers brought to life on stage through their virtuosity and strength as performers.
Artistic Director, Joss Arnott completes the bill with a new work for the full company celebrating the interplay between movement and music, individuality and states of euphoria, all of which is accompanied by an electrifying new percussive musical score by composer James Keane.
Tickets: £12
PERFORMANCES 25
DeNada Dance Theatre
THE BULL AND THE MOON
Saturday 29 April at 11.00am and 2.00pm
Lolo is a little Spanish bull that doesn’t feel like he fits in with the other bulls in the farm.
He doesn’t like the big loud bull fights, and he really doesn’t enjoy cowboy rodeos either. Instead, he loves dancing with the Moon every night, and dreams of becoming Lola, a famous flamenco dancing cow. Will you come dance with Lolo and help make their dreams come true?
The Bull and the Moon is an endearing family friendly production that celebrates anyone who dances to their own tune. A fun, fiery and magical dance performance that blends contemporary dance, flamenco and theatre, this is a heart-warming story about the importance of being oneself, family and LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
Recommended audiences: 3+ Tickets: £12
26 PERFORMANCES
Oddbodies
KING LEAR
Thursday 4 May at 7.30pm
Armed with only a drum, a guitar, a knife and a chair, this inventive, irreverent and highly accessible one-man is presented to you from the point of view of LEAR’s long suffering and ever-loyal fool.
The bastard Edmund, haughty Goneril, poor deluded Gloucester, oily Oswald, sweet Cordelia, mad Tom – all the characters from this sad and sorry tale are brought to glorious life in this fast paced, funny, poignant and ultimately heartbreaking production.
Adapted & performed by Paul Morel and directed by John Mowat with all of Oddbodies’ trademark physical ingenuity and visual flair, this is an unmissable reworking of one of Shakespeare’s most brilliant plays.
Tickets: £12
ABOUT AS FAR AWAY FROM ‘TRAD & BAD’ AS YOU CAN GET, AND IT’S BRILLIANT...YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS BROADWAYBABY [ [“ “ BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk
Thursday 25th May at 7.30pm
Tapped is a heart-warming comedy that explores the importance of connection, fulfilment and (lack of) hope. In Stapleford aka Stabbo, we meet Gavi, Jen and Dawn at an amateur self-help group who all share one commonality; they’re desperate for escapism.
A garage. A flipchart. A pile of Club biscuits. T-shirts that don’t fit. And 3 people who are really stuck.
Tapped is a witty and sensitive portrayal of managing mental health within a family, highlighting the barriers we put up in order to put on a brave face, whilst having those all-important lightbulb moments, like realising Aldi really does sell everything.
Age Guidance 14+ Tickets: £12
Bethany Cooper Productions
BOX
321
OFFICE 01902
321
Wednesday 31 May at 11.00am and 2.00pm
There’ll be a terrific treasure hunt, all your favourite sing-along songs, including The Ants Go Marching, Hickory Dickory Dock and BINGO, and lots of fantastic games to play, including Molly’s favourite game, I Spy With My Little Eye!
Tickets: £12
So put on your party clothes and come join us for what promises to be a magical day of fun and laughter.
It’s going to be the best party ever! A sweet surprise and photos with Bingo and the birthday girl will be available after the show so grown ups should bring along their cameras to capture the smiles.
BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk
PERFORMANCES 29
People’s Theatre Company
24 PERFORMANCES Tiny Light Theatre Saturday 17 June and Sunday 18th June 7.00pm on Saturday 2.00pm on Sunday
30
Join them
this
to
they
the
BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321 YEARS OF YOUTH THEATRE
Tickets: £12
Established in 1993 Starcross has been producing youth theatre productions for
years.
as they return to the Arena
June to celebrate this milestone! Re-tracing the past 30 years from their very beginnings
how
have evolved into
company it is today, with members past and present performing, this promises to be an outstanding nostalgic performance never to be repeated and certainly not to be missed! Book early to avoid disappointment.
Starcross Youth Theatre
Jaivant
Patel Company and Arena Theatre presents
SAMARPAN MAHOTSAV: CELEBRATING QUEER VOICES IN INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE & LIVE MUSIC
Saturday 24 June at 7.30pm
Curated by Jaivant Patel Company, Samarpan Mahotsav once again brings you a beautiful evening of rich British South Asian Arts, heritage, and culture in celebrating Indian Classical Dance and Music.
Samarpan translates as ‘dedication’. This showcase of Indian classical dance celebrates the dedication of its practitioners to its form present in the UK today.
Indian classical dance has many disciplines within its family tree including Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi and Manipuri. The form is renowned for its geometry, rhythmical footwork, intricate hand gestures and virtuosity in performance.
Please join us for this unmissable, enchanting evening of Indian classical dance featuring breathtaking performances by some the most exciting British South Asian dance artists and musicians currently on the UK cultural landscape.
Jaivant Patel Company is an associate of Arena Theatre.
Tickets: £12
#JPCoSamarpan23
PERFORMANCES 35
Image courtesy of Matthew Cawrey.
Arena Theatre’s exciting collaboration with the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.
Performers will work alongside professional actors to improve their acting skills, and sessions will focus on technique as well as working towards two shows a term, with the hope of working towards a community production at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.
Youth Theatre Members will also have the opportunity to participate in specialist workshops with professional touring companies! Weekly rehearsals will take place every Monday evening – excluding half term and Bank Holidays – here at the Arena Theatre.
+ PARTICIPATION Juniors = ages 9-13 Seniors = ages 14-18 32 LEARNING AND PARTICIPATION
LEARNING
6
13
20
27
3
24
8
15
22
5
12
19
26
3
10
17
Spring Term Mon 9 Jan Mon 16 Jan Mon 23 Jan Mon 30 Jan Mon 6 Feb Mon 13 Feb Mon 27 Feb Mon
Mar Mon
Mar Mon
Mar Mon
Mar Mon
April Mon
April Mon
May Mon
May Mon
May Mon
June Mon
June Mon
June Mon
June Mon
July Mon
July Mon
July
For prices please contact the
YOUTH
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre + Arena Theatre present
Grand Theatre on: 01902 429 212
THEATRE
GRAND ARENA YOUTH THEATRE PRESENTS
Grand Arena Youth Theatre Junior (9-13 years old)
Performances:
Wednesday 7th June at 7.00pm
Thursday 8th June at 7.00pm
Tickets £12
Join our Grand Arena Youth Theatre members as they take to the Arena Theatre’s stage for their full-scale productions which they have been learning skills and rehearsing for since September 2022!
Grand Arena Youth Theatre Senior (14-18 years old)
Performances:
Wednesday 5th July at 7.30pm
Thursday 6th July at 7.30pm
Tickets £12
Keep an eye on the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and Arena Theatre’s social media channels for show and casting announcements, and on-sale dates.
LEARNING
PARTICIPATION 33
AND
34 AT A GLANCE
DATE WHAT’S ON PAGE
24 January Poets and Storytellers Assemble by Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists 20 28 January Poetry Slam by Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists 4 3 February Dia-Beat-Es by Paul O’Donnell 5 7 February Arena Collaborative Theatremakers by Arena Collaborative Theatremakers 19 9 February Hamlet by New International Encounter 6 10 February Hamlet by New International Encounter 6 11 February The Best and Most Sarcastic Magic Show You Will See Today (Probably) by Magic Tie Productions 7
16 February Teechers Leavers ’22 by Blackeyed Theatre 8 17 February Teechers Leavers ’22 by Blackeyed Theatre 8 18 February Teechers Leavers ’22 by Blackeyed Theatre 8 23 February Grease by Starcross Youth Theatre 9 24 February Grease by Starcross Youth Theatre 9 25 February Grease by Starcross Youth Theatre 9 28 February How’ve Yow Been Dragged Up? by Arena Theatre 21 2 March Superpower Panto! by Extant Theatre 10 3 March Improv Wolves by Improv Wolves 11 4 March Roti Moon by Chandni Mistry 12 8 March The Big O by Kim Cormack 13 16 March Past Life by Alice Christina-Corrigan 14 18 March Tongue-Tied and Twisted by Peter Chand 15 21 March Poets and Storytellers Assemble by Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists 20 23 March VERVE: Triple Bill by Northern School of Contemporary Dance 16 26 March Juniors Showcase by Starcross Youth Theatre 17
AT A GLANCE 35
DATE WHAT’S ON PAGE
28 March How’ve Yow Been Dragged Up? by Arena Theatre 21
4 April Arena Collaborative Theatremakers by Arena Collaborative Theatremakers 19 13 April The Endling by Strange Futures 18 14 April 5 Years by Inside Theatre 22 15 April The Blue Badge Bunch by Discerning Nights 22 18 April Poets and Storytellers Assemble by Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists 20 21 April Vinland by Jack Dean and Company 23 22 April 24, 23, 22 by Doug Deans by Chronic Insanity Theatre 24 25 April How’ve Yow Been Dragged Up? by Arena Theatre 21 28 April Emergence Triple Bill by Joss Arnott Dance Company 25 29 April The Bull and the Moon by DeNada Dance Theatre 26 4 May King Lear by Oddbodies 27 9 May Arena Collaborative Theatremakers by Arena Collaborative Theatremakers 19 23 May Poets and Storytellers Assemble by Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists 20 25 May Tapped by Bethany Cooper Productions 28 30 May How’ve Yow Been Dragged Up? by Arena Theatre 21 31 May I Spy With My Little Eye by People’s Theatre Company 29 6 June Arena Collaborative Theatremakers by Arena Collaborative Theatremakers 19 17 June 30 Years of Youth Theatre by Starcross Youth Theatre 30 18 June 30 Years of Youth Theatre by Starcross 30 20 June Poets and Storytellers Assemble by Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists 20 24 June Samarpan Mahotsav: Celebrating Queer Voices in Indian Classical Dance & Live Music by Jaivant Patel Company and Arena Theatre 31 27 June How’ve Yow Been Dragged Up? by Arena Theatre 20
36 HOW TO BOOK
BOOK ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk
BOOK BY PHONE 01902 321 321
BOOK IN PERSON Arena Theatre Wulfruna Street
Wolverhampton WV1 1SE
Box Office opening times
Monday to Friday - 10am until 5pm We’re also open one hour before each show.
Booking fees
When you book online, in person or over the phone there are no booking fees
Concessions
Details of ticket price concessions are included within each show listing. They are available if you are under 16, a student in full-time education, over 60, a recipient of Job Seekers Allowance, University of Wolverhampton staff and/or alumni. Please bring proof of status. Please note that for Independent and Amateur productions, concessions and discounts may vary.
Refunds
Tickets are not normally refundable, but may be exchanged - subject to availability.
TICKET OFFERS
Friends
From just £10 a year you can become a friend of the Arena, helping us continue our important development and outreach work. As a thank you, our Friends receive a number of benefits, including discounts on tickets to all Arena Theatre shows, except for Independent + Amateur events, or any shows priced under £8. Visit the Arena website for full terms and conditions.
Schools and colleges
Teacher-led school and college groups are entitled to free tickets for accompanying teachers. Please call the Box Office for full details.
Group bookings
We offer one free ticket for every ten purchased by a group, for the same show. Please call the Box Office for full details.
We reserve the right to make discounted ticket offers to selected customers at any time.
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Theatreshows.See arena.wlv.ac.uk fordetails.
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SEATING PLAN 37 SEATING PLAN THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS Dr. Kinny Gardner BEM Arena Theatre Patron Reserved Seating When booking your tickets you can choose where you sit (subject to availability). Simply choose from the seating plan below. Dave Pitt Associate Artist Katy Sterran Associate Artist Jaivant Patel Associate Artist K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K11 K12 J1 J2 J3 J4 J5 J6 J7 J8 J9 J10 J11 J12 J13 J14 J15 I1 I2 I3 I4 I5 I6 I7 I8 I9 I10 I11 I12 I13 I14 H1 H2 H3 H4 H5 H6 H7 H8 H9 H10 H11 H12 H13 H14 G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8 G9 G10 G11 G12 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12 E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E7 E8 E9 E10 E11 E12 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10 B11 B12 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 A11 A12 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 AISLE STAGE/PERFORMANCE AREA HOUSE MANAGER SOUND DESK STEPS DOWN BALCONY BALCONY ENTRANCE
Arena Theatre, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1SE
By car
The Arena is in the middle of Wolverhampton, easily accessible by road. Signs to ‘University (South)’ will lead you to Wulfruna Street. Limited street parking is available outside, and the nearby Broad Street car park is open 24 hours a day.
By train
Wolverhampton train station is just a 5-minute walk away from the Arena Theatre. See map for directions.
By bus and Metro
Wolverhampton is served by bus companies who link all the surrounding towns in the area. Wolverhampton bus and Metro stations are just a 5 minute walk away.
HOW TO FIND US FIND US ACCESS
Arena Theatre is committed to being accessible to everybody. We recommend that disabled audience members book their tickets in advance so that we can provide assistance if needed.
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Lift access to all levels Sennheiser Infrared Enhanced Hearing System (Please reserve your headset at the Box Office when booking your ticket) Assistance dogs are welcome This brochure is also available in large print or on audio CD - call: 01902 321 321 to request a copy.
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Arena Theatre, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1SE.
@Arena_Theatre arenatheatre ARENA THEATRE BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321 • ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk • EMAIL arena@wlv.ac.uk Disclaimer: All prices and times correct at time of going to print. Please check the website for latest updates
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