Stageleeds spring 2017 brochure online version 2

stage@leeds Spring 2017

Theatre | Dance | Installation

The Spring 2017 season is our sixteenth season of curated work. I programmed the first stage@ leeds season in Autumn 2010. In just under eight years we have grown from a little known campus based theatre to one of Leeds most nationally recognisable venues. Contemporary performance has always been at the heart of everything we do. Throughout the last sixteen seasons we have committed ourselves to supporting, nurturing and promoting new talent and It’s a testament to the commitment, skill and enthusiasm of the entire theatre team that we have supported so much ground breaking work over the years.

Festival of

NEW

Writing

The Spring 2017 season continues our commitment to finding, supporting and promoting the best in contemporary performance. In addition to work

by Red Ladder, Gracefool Collective, Hagit Yakira and Alison Andrews we have three new shows from Screw Loose Theatre, The Toasted Peacocks and Joshua Ling; all presented as part of our Professional Artist Development Programme (PAD). We also have two shows; Frontline’s new adaptation of Philip Ridley’s ‘Leaves of Glass;’ and stand up phenomena Job Kabamba’s new show ‘Log In’ presented as part of our student focussed Young Entrrepreneurs Programme (YEP) We’ve had sixteen seasons of creative innovation, entertainment and excitement and there’s more to come so If you haven’t visited us yet take a look at the brochure and hopefully we’ll see you soon.

Steve Ansell Artistic Director and Theatre Manager

stage@leeds in association with Leeds University Union present the the inaugural LLF Festival of New Writing. Accepting submissions and proposals from 01.02.2017.

Email stage@leeds for more details: pculg04@leeds.ac.uk

Wed 10 - Sat 13 May 2017

Welcome to stage@leeds

Hagit Yakira

Free Falling

Frontline Productions

Leaves of Glass

by Philip Ridley

“Hagit Yakira and her company don’t only dance, they live and take the audience with them.”

Following a premiere at Sadler’s Wells in October 2016 Hagit Yakira presents Free Falling; an open-hearted collection of stories gathered through years of working as a therapist. Shifting between drama and humour the show starts with ‘Air Hunger’, inspired by the fear and anxiety of suffocation and ends with ‘Free Falling’ which looks at the fear of falling, failing and the ambition to recover.

You believe him cos he wraps all the painful stuff in feathers and flowers. Makes it all safe and cosy.

You can’t feel the broken glass inside.’

On the surface, Steven has everything. A beautiful wife, a successful business, a brand new home. But beneath the glittering veneer lies a monstrous secret.

Tue 31 Jan 7.30pm Stage One £12.00 (£9.00)

stage@leeds

YoungEntrepreneursProgramme

Thur 02 - Sat 04 Feb 7.30pm Stage One £9.00 (£7.00)

Open Theatre

Ink Boy

by Josh Kirby and Hugo Jones If you were granted any wish, what would you wish for?

Theatre Group

The Trial

by Franz Kafka, Adapted by Steven Berkoff

‘There could be no one else, since the door was intended only for you.’

World peace? Money? Power?

Gordon’s desires lie elsewhere, and he’s about to make them come true, no matter how dark they might be.

‘Ink Boy,’ a new dark, surrealist comedy from Josh Kirby and Hugo Jones, tells the story of a man mistakenly granted magical wishes. This administrative error takes a dark turn with terrible consequences as we discover what people are

Joseph K awakes on his 30th birthday only to be arrested by two guards from an unspecified agency for unidentified crimes; but this is no birthday prank, this is life or death. So begins K’s dark descent into a walking nightmare of bizarre humiliations and compulsive procedures. At first disbelieving, K soon finds himself alternating between despair and frustration as it becomes more and more clear that the law is a thing of myth, rumour and supposition. Using striking physical theatre techniques to bring this classic to life, this production will transport you into the surreal world that engulfs Joseph K.

truly capable of.

Tue 09 - Sat 11 Feb 7.30pm Alec Clegg Studio £9.00 (£7.00)

Tue 14 - Thur 16 Feb 7.00pm Banham Theatre £9.00 (£7.00)

Screw Loose Theatre

On the Edge of Nothing

by David Ley

Gracefool Collective & Red Ladder

Convicts & Lunatics

A witty, thought provoking double bill spanning 100 years of wayward women and their dangerous ideas

Mesmerizing, funny and poignant Dig Yorkshire

Names are the first thing to die. Then the soul, then the body.

Ten years into the war and all is far too quiet. There seems to be no end in sight, and even shooting the local wildlife eventually gets boring. Cut off from their allies and the enemy with nothing but their own personal demons for company, a group of soldiers struggle to survive against isolation, loss of identity and each other. In this surreal comedy they must decide what matters most to them: dedication to duty or personal happiness’

Thur 16 - Sat 18 Feb 7.30pm Stage One £9.00 (£7.00)

stage@leeds

ProfessionalArtistDevelopment

Sharply funny... performed with striking discipline and skill.

Sarah Crompton

Red Ladder Theatre Company’s critically acclaimed one-woman musical drama ‘Wrong ’Un’ follows a Lancashire mill-girl’s journey from schoolroom to prison cell and beyond. A hundred years later, exciting new dance theatre company Gracefool Collective bend over backwards, attempting to be 3-dimensional, high definition, water-drinking, salad-eating, moisturizing WO-men in ‘This Really Is Too Much.’

Tue 21 Feb 7.30pm Stage One £10.00 (£7.50)

LUU Open Theatre

Job Kabamba

Peroxide

Log In

New writing by Dylan Marsh

Back with a brand new show

Nobody is really sure if Indigo has his own room. He’s often found in the common room in the early hours by those coming back from a night of debauchery or those who just can’t sleep, and nobody has a clue where he’s come from. Can what he always says at pre-drinks really be true?

Sophie isn’t sure, but he likes her poetry, and that’s good enough for her.

People say that your first year of uni changes you forever, but nobody tells you that it might just change the fabric of reality itself.

Having sold out his 2015 Leeds debut show ‘Hear Me Out Bruh!’ comedian and actor Job Kabamba returns to stage@leeds with his brand new comedy stand up ‘LOG IN.’ Join Job as he explores the impact and often hilarious effects of social media.

‘LOG IN’ before tickets sell out!

Tue 21 - Thur 23 Feb 7.00pm Banham Theatre £9.00 (£7.00)

stage@leeds

YoungEntrepreneursProgramme

Wed 22 Feb 7.30pm Alec Clegg Studio £5.00)

Matthew Bellwood & Alison Andrews (The Story is Not)

Set in Stone This is a show about stories...

Irregular Arts

An Odd Occasion

It begins with a chance encounter in a mythical library, soon it spills out on to the street. Then it heads back to ancient Greece, catches a lift in a car on the way to a music festival and has a go at fortune telling. How far back in the story do you have to go to take another path?

Matthew Bellwood and Alison Andrews present an intimate performance about the places and ways in which we tell stories and re-invent our personal narratives. Due to the nature of this performance ticket numbers are limited so please book in advance to avoid dissappointment

We’d like to invite you to an Odd Occasion.

We’ll have a drink and a bite and a chat.

We’ll dance inappropriately.

We’ll do a quiz and pretend to be dead feminists.

We’ll eat some unusually-shaped cake.

Part theatre performance, part riotous cabaret tea party, this event explores men, women and the spaces we inhabit. It’s about identity and difference. It’s funny, shamelessly brash and a little bit rude.

Will you join us?

An Odd Occasion is performed by Alison Andrews and Jenny Wilson, and was created in collaboration with Jacky Fleming, Shanaz Gulzar and Becky Truman.

Thur 23 Feb 1.30 & 7.30pm Alec Clegg Studio £10.00 (£7.50)

Fri 24 Feb 7.30pm Stage One £10.00 (£7.50)

LAMMPS

LUU Theatre Group

The Effect

by Lucy Prebble

I can tell the difference between who I am and a side effect

It’s the end of the 1980s in Hollywood, and the party has been raging hard.

Lace and liquor flow freely at one of the Sunset Strip’s last legendary venues, and sex machine Stacee Jaxx takes the stage and scantily clad groupies line up to turn their fantasies into reality. Amidst the madness, aspiring rock star (and resident toilet cleaner) Drew, longs to take the stage. The rock and roll fairy-tale is about to end when German developers sweep into town with plans to turn the fabled Strip into just another capitalist strip mall. Can Drew, Sherri, and the gang save the strip, before it’s too late?

Thur 02 - Sat 04 March 7.30pm Stage One £9.00 (£7.00)

Two young volunteers agree to take part in a pharmaceutical drugs trial for a new anti-depressant. What they don’t plan for is to fall in love. However, the question is whether this love has naturally occurred, or is it just an effect from the drug? If it is simply due to chemicals, does this make their feelings any less real? This witty, moving play explores questions of sanity, depression and the limits of medicine, asking what makes us who we are and how we love.

Thur 09 - Sat 11 March 7.00pm Alec Clegg Studio £9.00 (£7.00)

LUU Open Theatre

Equus

by Peter Shaffer

The Toasted Peacocks

Miscellaneous

by Phil Jones

Follow the rules and you will be fine.

A child is born into a world of phenomena all equal in their power to enslave.

It sniffs – it sucks.

Suddenly one strikes. Why?

1. There are no rules, 2. Never ask why 3. Never open the tea pot.

Creativity and reason. Desire and morality.

Individuality and community.

There are countless personal and societal forces which act on a person, and often one’s individual impulses are fundamentally opposed to the behaviour expected of them. When internalised, these expectations can create a distinct duality within a person.

Join Dr Martin Dysart as he analyses the mind of Alan Strang, a boy for whom the gap between normality and reality has grown too large, and has manifested itself in a most violent and ugly way.

Thur 09 - Sat 11 March 8.30pm Stage One £9.00 (£7.00)

Have you ever lost something? Well, not to worry; Aggie will help you, it’s bound to be in the ‘room’.

Unfortunately there is no one way into the room and we can’t tell you where it is...

The Toasted Peacocks present the premiere of their debut production ‘Miscellaneous’. All they can promise is to ask 101 questions and give you 0 answers.

stage@leeds

ProfessionalArtistDevelopment

Wed 15 - Sat 18 March 7.30pm Alec Clegg Studio £9.00 (£7.00)

PCI Production

The Waiting Room Welcome to your life There’s no turning back…

Join us for an extraordinary immersive experience as we take you on a journey that you won’t forget!

Where are you?

Where are you heading?

Are you going to be you forever?

Drawing on a range of sources this playful environmental performance asks us to reconsider our individual place in the world and how we relate to those around us?

The Waiting Room is devised and designed by a company of final year undergraduates in the School of Performance and Cultural Industries.

It offers a bespoke theatrical experience that places you at the heart of a journey through our mysterious world.

Nothing ever lasts forever

Wed 22 - Sat 25 March 5.00 - 8.00pm* Stage One £9.00 (£7.00)

*contact box office to book show times

Five Six Two

by Joshua Ling

War, torture, a delivery man. A dark comedy of violence.

LUU Theatre Group

The Diary of Anne Frank

Adapted by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett

In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart…

When Anne Frank is gifted a diary on her thirteenth birthday, she finds an escape from the struggles her family face as Jews in Nazioccupied Holland. But when they are forced to go into hiding, for how long can two families keep their spirits up whilst the world is falling apart around them?

“I’ve woken up in some basement- room- f***ing hole with no way out, oh, and did I mention there’s a war going on, in case you missed that little detail?”

Thur 27 - Sat 29 April 7.30pm Alec Clegg Studio £5.00

stage@leeds

ProfessionalArtistDevelopment

Anne allows us to witness her adolescence: her feelings of isolation, frustration towards the warring adults in the annexe, and feelings towards the shy and mysterious Peter Van Daan. A story of courage and hope, this humbling adaptation explores the strength of the human spirit under the most incomprehensible of circumstances.

Tue 02 - Thur 04 May 7.00pm Banham Theatre £9.00 (£7.00)

PCI Production

Blackout

BLACKOUT is an immersive journey into the depths of the mind exploring memory, lost and theatrical darkness. Through evocative soundscapes and moments of improvisation you are taken into a world of unexpected visions, from personal stories to the furthest reaches of the cosmos.

This production takes place in very low lighting with moments of total darkness.

Thur 04 - Sat 06 May 6.00pm & 8.00pm Stage One ÂŁ9.00 (ÂŁ7.00)

Join the Leaders

stage@leedscompany ★★★★ A powerful experience, leaving a hunger for more....

- Edinburgh Festival Fringe To Do List

Working with classic and contemporary texts from around the world, the stage@leedscompany creates dynamic and emotive ensemble performance. Membership is open to all University of Leeds students and no previous performance experience is necessary.

The School of Performance and Cultural Industries offers innovative courses designed to meet the needs of today’s graduates and cultural industries professionals MA Applied Theatre and Intervention allows you to explore the use of theatre as part of a process to facilitate individual and social change. Through practice and theory we investigate the potential of theatre and the extent to which it has impact on the lives of people and their communities.

MA Culture, Creativity and Entrepreneurship uses aspects of theatre and performance to help stimulate processes of change in the lives of individuals and communities. The course integrates practice, theory and research to deepen your understanding of applied theatre in different education, health and community contexts.

MA Performance Design deals with performance that uses visual, spatial, time-based and technological means. We explore how design leads to innovative ideas for performance including immersive theatre, design-led and spectacular performance, site-specific performance and new forms of audience engagement with performance.

MA Writing for Performance and Publication explores the art of creative and

dramatic writing. It is aimed at students wishing to experiment and to see their work published or produced.

For more information visit www.pci.leeds.ac.uk

School of Performance and Cultural Industries

stage@leedscompany 2016/2017 In association with the University of Leeds Treasures Gallery stage@leedscompany will perform a new contemporary adaptation of ‘The Yorkshire Tragedy’ in the University of Leeds, Parkinson Court Building on Mon January 30th 2017.

Further details about how to become involved can be found on line and from the stage@leeds foyer . Follow stage@leedscompany on Facebook.

creative opportunities stage@leeds

ProfessionalArtistDevelopment

stage@leeds

YoungEntrepreneursProgramme

The PAD (Professional Artist Development) programme provides professional theatre and dance makers with a rehearsal space, dramaturgy, technical support, mentoring, financial and management advice within a relaxed and creative environment. The programme runs during the summer and Easter breaks. Interested artists and companies should contact Steve Ansell (s.ansell@ leeds.ac.uk)

KEY A = Alec Clegg Studio (located in the stage@leeds building) B = Banham Theatre (located at the main entrance to the Michael Sadler building) C = Clothworkers’ Centenary Concert Hall G = Great Hall P = Parkinson Court (Stanley & Aubrey Burton Gallery) S = Stage One (located in the stage@leeds building) W = Workshop Theatre

P

stage@leeds can be hired for conferences and events. Availability is limited and will usually be during the Summer or Easter breaks. If you would like further information about hiring one of our spaces please contact Events Administrator: Alice Clarke (a.j.clarke@leeds.ac.uk)

G

B

W stage@leeds S A

C

Lane

Hiring our spaces

stage@leeds programmes two seasons of work each year, Sept - Dec and Jan - June. We programme at least three months in advance and all the work is curated by the Artistic Director and the theatre’s creative team. We are always looking for exciting and dynamic new work so let us know via email about what you are up to. Please include links to any reviews, images, videos of your work for evaluation.

Steve Ansell s.ansell@leeds.ac.uk

ouse

UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS

booking stage@leeds Putting on your work at stage@leeds

h Wood

YEP (Young Entrepreneurs’ Programme) provides professional support and mentoring to students interested in a career as theatre makers together with the opportunity to produce work for performance at stage@leeds. Many YEP companies and company members have gone on to highly succesful careers within the creative industries, garnering critical acclaim and awards If you would like to be considered for the YEP programme or would like more information please contact Steve Ansell (s.ansell@leeds.ac.uk)

stage@leedsvenues

Date Production

Time

Price

Venue

January 31 Free Falling (Hagit Yakira)

7.30pm

£12.00 (£9.00)

S

February

02 - 04 Leaves of Glass (Frontline) 7.00pm £9.00 (£7.00) S 09 - 11 Ink Boy (LUU Open Theatre) 7.30pm £9.00 (£7.00) A 14 - 16 The Trial (LUU Theatre Group) 7.00pm £9.00 (£7.00) B 16 - 18 On the Edge of Nothing (Screw Loose) 7.30pm £9.00 (£7.00) S 21 Convicts & Lunatics (Gracefool/Red Ladder) 7.30pm £10.00 (£7.50) S 21 - 23 Peroxide (LUU Open Theatre) 7.00pm £9.00 (£7.00) B 22 Log In (Job Kabamba) 7.30pm £5.00 A 23 Set in Stone (M.Bellwood & A.Andrews) 1.30 & 7.30pm £10.00 (£7.50) A 24 An Odd Occasion (Irregular Arts) 7.30pm £10.00 (£7.50) S

March

02 - 04 9 - 11 9 - 11 15 - 18 22 - 25

Rock of Ages (LAMMPS) The Effect (LUU Theatre Group) Equus (LUU Open Theatre) Miscellaneous (Toasted Peacocks) The Waiting Room (PCI Production)

April

27 - 29 Five Six Two (Joshua Ling)

May

02 - 04 Diary of Anne Frank (LUU Theatre Group) 04 - 06 Blackout (PCI Performance) 11 - 13 Little Leeds Fringe

7.30pm 7.00pm 8.30pm 7.30pm 5 - 8.00pm*

£9.00 (£7.00) £9.00 (£7.00) £9.00 (£7.00) £9.00 (£7.00) £9.00 (£7.00)

S A S A S

7.30pm

£5.00

A

7.00pm £9.00 (£7.00) 6.00 & 8.00pm £9.00 (£7.00) TBC TBC

B A A/S

*Due to the nature of this performance there are a limited number of tickets available, please contact the theatre box office for full details.

Venue Key: A B S

Alec Clegg Studio Banham Theatre Stage One

Box Office: 0113 343 8730 Online: www.stage.leeds.ac.uk stage@leeds University of Leeds LS2 9JT