ARENA THEATRE BROCHURE SEP-DEC 2019

ARENA

THEATRE

Sep-Dec 2019

PLAYS FILMS DANCE MUSIC COMEDY

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321 • BOOK ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

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HELLO! Welcome to the Autumn 2019 season at the Arena Theatre, University of Wolverhampton.

Sep-Dec 2019

CONTENTS Performances

p04 - p35

Arena Film Theatre

We’re marking twelve months since our new-look programme started by offering even more films, Theatre Suppers, spoken word artists and acoustic music for you to enjoy live. There’s even chance for you to take part yourself by getting involved in our flourishing artistic scene: with our Arena Collaborative Theatremakers (ACT) evenings and Poets and Storytellers Assemble! (PASTA) nights motoring along stronger than ever.

p16

Theatre Supper

p17

Arena Venue Hire

Poetry and Storytellers Arena Collaborative Theatremakers

p21

Bar and Coffee Shop

University Open Days

Learning and Participation At a Glance

We’re also participating in Wolverhampton’s Funny Things festival, with The Barn Ultimatum and Bouncers guaranteed to get you rolling around in a fit of hysterics!

How to Book

How to Find us

p19 p20

No Amps, No Chat, No Charge

Our professional programme boasts a little something for everyone this season: Little Angel Theatre are here once again with their new show Emily Rising for the little ones and their mums and dads; and we have some of the best work in the Midlands heading our way with Toni Lewis and Lewis Doherty bringing their new pieces to us.

p18

p23

p24 p36 p38

p40 p42

We look forward to welcoming you soon!

Neil

Neil Reading Venue Manager + The Team

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

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HIGHLIGHTS 04

Peeling

Sat 28 September at 7.30pm

28

Skin Reimagined Thur 21 November at 7.30pm

SIGNED (BSL)

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Emily Rising

Arena Film Theatre

Arena Collaborative Theatremakers

Sat 12 October 11.00am and 2pm

29

Yaatra

Sat 23 November at 7.30pm

AUDIO DESCRIBED

CAPTIONED

Nov – Dec Monday nights

33

ACT Collection

Tues 10 December at 7.30pm

Aug – Nov

36

Youth Theatre 9 Sept – 13 July

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321 BOOK ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

04 PERFORMANCES

PERFORMANCES Taking Flight Theatre Company

PEELING Saturday 28 September 7.30pm In shadow, three performers await their brief moment in the light.

Often blisteringly funny, at times almost unbearably painful; Peeling takes us backstage into a world of stories, of secrets, and a world where these fierce, intelligent women are always the chorus and never the lead.

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

FIERCELY CLEVER AND UNCOMPROMISING The Guardian

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EXTRAORDINARILY POETIC… EARTHY, ACERBIC WIT The Stage

Outside Centre

PERFORMANCES 05

Red Earth Theatre

SOONCHILD Friday 4 and Saturday 5 October 7.00pm both nights, 2.00pm on Saturday

Dig out your snowshoes for an Arctic adventure with live music, 3D and shadow puppets, creative captioning, integrated sign language and song, and a cosmic Northern Lights show!

Outside Centre

Set in the Arctic Circle, Soonchild is the story of John and his wife whose baby refuses to be born until she can hear the World Songs.

John embarks on a quest to find the songs and save the world, aided by a cool cast of Polar creatures. So big-hearted, this show will melt an iceberg.

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions.

Saturday matinee: £9

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

06 PERFORMANCES

Shasha and Taylor Productions

EVERYTHING I SEE I SWALLOW “

Set against a backdrop of shifting generational attitudes to empowerment, feminism and sexuality, fusing theatre and aerial work with the erotic art of Japanese rope bondage shibari, Everything I See I Swallow is a fascinating exploration of epic themes in an intimate setting.

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I’M NOT JUST AN OBJECT. I’VE MADE A CHOICE. TO BE HERE, TO BE TIED, AND… NOT TO DENY MY SEXUALITY.

“

An art curator discovers that her daughter has amassed over 50,000 followers by posting semi-naked images of herself on Instagram. Is this freedom of expression or exploitation, and what is the difference? When does art become pornography and vice versa? How does a mother protect her daughter and when does protection become control?

[

Wednesday 9 October 7.30pm

Running time: 60 mins Recommended age: 16+ - contains scenes of a sexual nature/ strong language Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

PERFORMANCES 07

Little Angel Theatre

EMILY RISING

Saturday 12 October 11.00am and 2.00pm Emily wakes up one bright autumn morning to find that her feet can’t touch the ground, and no one can understand why. To everyone’s surprise Emily keeps rising higher and higher.

From sleeping upside-down on her ceiling and flying above her school playground, to soaring over a starry-skied London, Emily’s adventure is just beginning. Emily discovers a world that looks completely different.

She’s not scared at all – it’s fun being high up. But she’s not coming down…

Tickets: : £9

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

08 PERFORMANCES

Paula Varjack

THE CULT OF K*NZO

Thursday 17 October at 7.30pm On 5 November 2016, Paula Varjack found herself queuing at 4.00 am outside a shopping centre in east London, for the collaboration between the high-end designer KENZO and H&M. Five hours later, she and 20 others were given ten minutes to shop a cordoned off section of a store. After paying at a till staffed by cheering, applauding sales assistants, she emerged carrying the largest shopping bag she had ever carried, in a complete and total daze. What had just happened? What was it about Kenzo?

The Cult of K*nzo is a solo performance combining storytelling, videography, sound design and choreography, to playfully explore one woman’s lifelong desire for luxury, the ways in which luxury brands create that desire, and the journey of one man’s dream to become a fashion designer. Across all of these stories are outsiders, the tension between inclusion and exclusion, and the mysterious allure of high-end. Why do we want the things that we want? What’s in a brand?

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

PERFORMANCES 09

The Bone Ensemble

GULP!

Friday 18 and Saturday 19 October 11.00am and 2.30pm both days Maya LOVES water! Swimming in the sea, splashing in her paddling pool, squirting her sister with a water pistol... But, one summer day, she gets sucked up the bathroom tap – SQUOOSH! – and along the water pipes! WHOOAAHHHH!

Maya goes on an exciting journey, whooshing through oceans, plunging into rivers and floating in clouds, encountering a flood, a drought and fascinating people and creatures. Gulp! is an interactive story for all the family dripping with fun!

Tickets: £9

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

10 PERFORMANCES

Demi Nandhra

LIFE IS NO LAUGHING MATTER Thursday 24 October at 7.30pm

Life is No Laughing Matter is an autobiographical live art/stand up/theatre performance about mental illness, suicide and radical cure attempts.

Demi Nandhra sometime last year, on a date she can’t remember, was diagnosed with severe depression. She was told to eat a banana a day and think happy thoughts.

Inevitably she got worse. So she bought a dog to save her.

Part personal narrative, part social rant, part mess; Life is No Laughing Matter tells the exhausting and rather hilarious account of living with depression; from the urgency of finding a cure, to dissecting the cultural disease, to eating 56 bananas.

Outside Centre

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

PERFORMANCES 11

Fierce Festival

ALBUM

Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists

FINDING YOUR FUNNY ROOTS

Friday 25 October at 7.30pm ALBUM is a solo performance that unites text, song, and dance inside of the content of an album — a picture album, a song album, an autobiographical album, a herstorical album — finding ways to be an archive, or altar, for Valencia’s body.

Through factual, humorous, and grave observations, a frame of self-identification is established and charged with the task to preserve and perform a self herstory as an album in image and song. Valencia’s relationship to urbanity, vampires, love, and marginality arise with equal importance as she orbits the primary curiosity: Who will write herstory?

ALBUM starts this process — so the author of Valencia’s herstory can have good notes.

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

Saturday 26 October at 5pm Join us for a chuckle down memory lane as we celebrate the Black Country comedians of the past and celebrate what makes us Black Country people laugh.

Finding Our Funny Roots has been created

by Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists, with help from our fabulous volunteers. This project is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Tickets: £5

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

12 PERFORMANCES

Trevor Lewis presents

STAND UP FOR MYSTERY HOUR

Saturday 26 October at 7.30pm Who will you see it’s a Mystery!

Fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe, we will have a special mystery guest presenting their full-length stand-up show.

Bits of Bob Theatre

THE BARN ULTIMATUM Sunday 27 October 7.30pm A Stand-Up for the Mystery Hour... better than a Kinder Egg Surprise. Unwrap, take a bite and don’t swallow the yellow thing inside, it could choke you. This acclaimed comedian from the UK and international circuit (who may have even shown up on TV!) is brought to you by renowned Edinburgh Fringe technician, Trevor Lewis.

Aussie-born Trevor has come over to the UK to put his favourite comedians in the limelight and share them with you.

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

One animal has uncovered a secret that will rock the whole farm. In this brand new comedy from Tom Allsopp, the peaceful world of the farm is about to come tumbling down around the ears, horns and udders of its inhabitants as the truth about their purpose in life is suddenly revealed. With their world turned upside down, these plucky animals will have to lean on each other! If you like the Bourne movies and farm animals, you’ll love this.

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

PERFORMANCES 13

London Classic Theatre

NO MAN’S LAND BY HAROLD PINTER Tuesday 29 October at 7.30pm Wednessday 30 October at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

A chance meeting between two elderly writers in a North London pub leads to an alcohol-fuelled night of reminiscences and verbal sparring.

Starcross Youth Theatre

BOUNCERS

by John Godber

Friday 1 and Saturday 2 November at 7.00pm It’s Friday night, it’s disco night – time for Bouncers to come alive! In this hilarious comedy Lucky Eric, Judd, Les and Ralph are the original men in black as they tell the tale of one night in a disco in the 80’s in this outrageous parody of Saturday Night Fever! All the gang are out on the town, the boys, the girls, the cheesy DJ, the late night kebab man and the taxi home, all under the watchful eyes of the Bouncers!

[ Tickets: £10

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

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DON’T MISS THIS CHANCE TO SEE ONE OF JOHN GODBER’S CLASSICS. BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW BECAUSE IF YOUR NAME’S NOT ON THE LIST - YOU’RE NOT GETTING IN!

“

Hirst, a wealthy recluse, invites Spooner, a down-at-heel poet, to his Hampstead townhouse for a nightcap. As the shadows lengthen and the whisky flows, their stories become more elaborate and improbable, until the arrival of two younger men forces events to take an unexpected turn. In his most beguiling and atmospheric play, Pinter interweaves truth, language and memory to create a world of dark comedy and subtle power games.

Please note: No Man’s Land contains very strong language. Age recommendation 16+

This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Ltd

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

Lewis Doherty

BOAR

Friday 8 November at 7.30pm

Welcome to the Kingdom of Skadi. A distant land and place of adventure where pirates, bounty hunters and thieves do battle in a world on the brink of destruction.

Boar and orphan Ylfa are on a quest for revenge until captured by the king and sent on a journey to rescue his daughter from the evil dragon Gorn. Who will survive in this Game-Of-Thrones style quest of epic proportions, formidable consequences and dark magic?

Armed with just his wits and a chair, after critical success and a sell-out run of his One-Man debut thriller Wolf, Lewis Doherty presents Boar.

Prepare for arrows to roll and heads to fly in this action-packed comedy of swords, sorcery and swill!

Tickets: ÂŁ14 full price / ÂŁ12 concessions

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

PERFORMANCES 15 Image courtesy of Matthew Cawrey.

Extant Jaivant Patel Dance and Arena Theatre present

DIWALI UTSAV, SITARON KE SANG Saturday 9 November at 7.30pm ‘Sitaron Ke Sang’ – a radiant brightness the stars illuminate in their togetherness – refers to Diwali, more popularly known as the Indian festival of lights.

Arena Theatre Associate Artist, Jaivant Patel Dance once again presents a vibrant evening of South Asian dance in celebration of Diwali.

Diwali celebrates the joyous commencement of the New Year. It marks the start of new beginnings, the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. This globally celebrated festival is a time when families and friends come together for goodwill, feasting, fireworks and dancing.

All are welcome to come and join us in celebrating this fantastic, diverse festival. #JPDDiwali19

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

16 ARENA FILM THEATRE

JOIN US

ARENA

FILM

THEATRE

Join us at the Arena for a packed season of films specially selected for your enjoyment.

We’ll be presenting a blend of recent releases, classics, revivals, award winners and sing-alongs in order to get your week off to a flying start.

Visit our website to keep up-to-date with listings for September, October and November.

SPECIAL Elf

Monday 25 November at 6.00pm

Love Actually

Monday 2 December at 6.00pm

It’s a Wonderful Life

Monday 9 December at 6.00pm

Muppet’s Christmas Carol

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

Monday 16 December at 2.00pm AND 6.00pm

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HOLLY BOYDEN Tuesday 22 October at 7.30pm BROKEN SHELLS Tuesday 19 November at 7.30pm

NEAL PIKE: FIVE YEARS Tuesday 3 December at 7.30pm

From 1998-2002, Neal Pike attended Foxwood Academy, a special educational needs school in Nottinghamshire. Five Years is about trying to hold on to a sense of who you are during those messy, brutal and mundane years of adolescence. With warmth and humour that cuts to the bone, Neal Pike explores identity, community and the parts of him that were shaped by Foxwood.

What are the region’s most-dynamic theatremakers up to?

Now is your chance to find out: for just £10, you can not only see new work but also enjoy a meal AND drink included as part of the ticket price.

Food is served from 7.00pm, with performances commencing at 7.30pm.

18 ARENA VENUE HIRE

HIRE THE ARENA

PERFORM IN OUR 150-SEAT AUDITORIUM

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.

Complete with in-built conference equipment, our Seminar Room can accommodate 30 in boardroom style, or up to 50 with seating in rows.

Our 150-seat main Auditorium is fully accessible and equipped for theatre, concerts and multimedia presentations. Our prices are very competitive, and we’re conveniently located - close to plenty of parking, and rail, tram and bus links - right in the centre of Wolverhampton.

Contact Neil Reading to discuss hiring the Arena for your production or business event:

(01902) 321 321 / neil.reading@wlv.ac.uk

POETRY AND STORYTELLERS 19

PA S T A

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POETS AND STORYTELLERS

{ { TUESDAYS AT 7.30PM

1 OCTOBER 26 NOVEMBER

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.

18 COLLABORATIVE 20 PERFORMANCESTHEATREMAKERS

ARENA COLLABORATIVE

THEATREMAKERS Are you an emerging artist based in Wolverhampton? Are you a student at the University of Wolverhampton studying the Performing Arts, or with an interest in any aspect of the performing arts?

We’re looking for writers, performers, devisers, directors and designers to join us.

Arena Collaborative Theatremakers (ACT) allows students, recent graduates and emerging 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.

{ { Forthcoming ACT meeting dates:

TUESDAYS

13 AUG 24 SEPT 8 OCT 12 NOV AT 7PM

NO AMPS NO CHATS NO CHARGE 21

NO AMPS NO CHAT NO CHARGE

No Amps, No Chat, No Charge is our monthly acoustic evening presented in partnership with our friends at Cellar Rooms Rehearsal Studios. Featuring some of the Midlands’ finest songwriters, the night gives you a chance to listen, in the warm, completely free of charge!

Line-ups for the following evenings will be announced closer to the time via our website and social media channels, including Facebook /arenatheatre and Twitter @Arena_Theatre

{ { WEDNESDAYS

23 OCT 13 NOV 11 DEC AT 7.30PM

22 BECOME A FRIEND

BECOME A FRIEND

FOR JUST £10 A YEAR, YOU CAN PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR ARENA THEATRE.

Help us to continue our important development and outreach work.

Our Friends enjoy a wide range of benefits – contact us today to find more.

To become a Friend of Arena Theatre, pop into our Box Office on Wulfruna Street or call: 01902 321 321

FOYER BAR AND COFFEE SHOP 23

ARENA FOYER BAR + COFFEE SHOP

You can now pop in to the Arena Theatre for coffee and cake or a glass of wine and bite to eat.

Our foyer bar and coffee shop is now open Monday to Saturday from 10am, enabling you to enjoy the Arena experience for much longer if you’re waiting for curtain-up in the main auditorium.

Keep an eye on our website and social media channels for further news on what will be on the menu in the build-up to the season.

4

PERFORMANCES

2019 2019 2019 OPEN DAYS OPEN DAYS OPEN DAYS Undergraduate Undergraduate Undergraduate 17 August 2 February 17 August 12 October 15 October June 12 16 November 17 November August 16

Postgraduate Postgraduate Postgraduate 19 September 19 21 September March 28 November 28 27 November June

BOOK NOW AT: WLV.AC.UK/OPENDAY BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

OPEN DAYS 25

26 PERFORMANCES

Gonzo Moose

ONCE UPON A TIME Thursday 14 November at 7.30pm

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

It was cold. It was dark.

It was almost certainly snowing…

Brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are about to publish the final volume of what will become the greatest ever collection of fairy tales.

But on the eve of their greatest triumph, a shadowy figure from their past lets it be known he intends to collect an old debt.

Having previously thrilled audiences with hit shows The Thing That Came From Over There and What The Dickens?, Gonzo Moose are back with a comedy fairy tale adventure bursting with physical comedy, absurd jokes and magical illusion.

PERFORMANCES 27

Notnow Collective

PEPPER & HONEY Sonia Sabri Company

Saturday 16 November at 7.30pm

SAME SAME… BUT DIFFERENT Friday 15 November at 7.30pm

Same Same… But Different is a new family show, mixing Kathak and contemporary dance, live music and physical storytelling, to create a playful and colourful world, exploring our curiosities and fears, the times we feel different and when we belong.

Inspired by the well-known Anglo-Asian phrase ‘same, same… but different’, meaning “Yes, something kind of similar, but not the exact same thing”, three dancer-musicians conjure a magical atmosphere where we celebrate our individuality, diversity and the bonds which connect us all.

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

So, what’s home? As the era of post-Brexit Britain looms large, that question has never been more pertinent… That’s the question Ana, a young Croatian woman, poses as she settles in the UK. Written by a Croatian playwright and performed by a Croatian actor, Pepper and Honey is a poignant, subtle and timely play about the journey of change, cultural differences, trying not to feel like a foreigner in your adopted country and the conflict between upholding the traditions of the ‘old country’ and embracing those of the new.

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

28 PERFORMANCES

ACE Dance and Music

SKIN REIMAGINED Thursday 21 November 7.30pm Rich in contrast and leaping gracefully between the old and new, Skin Reimagined explores what lies beneath the skin.

Skin Reimagined is a powerful double bill which reignites ACE’s collaboration with international choreographers Vincent Mantsoe and Akiko Kitamura from Japan.

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

Jo Tyabji

MOTHER LAND Friday 22 November at 7.30pm What do you feel? When they tell you you’re not Indian. When they ask you, quietly, politely, still holding your passport, to step to one side. When they tell you you’re not British. When they say you’re a terrorist. When they add your name, without you noticing, to a list.

Punching fascists in the face through the medium of drag, Motherland is a visceral, full-bodied, dragged-up, queertastic howl of a show exploring nationalism, identity and our ability to speak out.

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

PERFORMANCES 29

Image courtesy of Boneshaker Photography

Jaivant Patel Dance

YAATRA Saturday 23 November at 7.30pm

YAATRA is a captivating performance of solo Kathak and contemporary dance by British Indian artist Jaivant Patel.

A fresh perspective on South Asian LGBTQ+ narratives, faith and spirituality; YAATRA celebrates two cultures and the intersectionality of living in one, while paying tribute to traditions, heritage and often untold stories of another.

#JPDYaatra

The performance feature a post-show discussion.

Tickets: : ÂŁ14 full price / ÂŁ12 concessions

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

30 PERFORMANCES

Sunday 24 November 5.30pm RSM Stage Academy returns with their early years’ annual showcase. Featuring an array of young stars from the Academy, join their magical journey through enchanting and mysterious performances, which will leave you mesmerised from start to finish.

But watch out - they might put a spell on you...

Tickets: £16 full price, £14 concessions

RSM Stage Academy

MAGICAL MYSTERIES BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

PERFORMANCES 37

Ali is alone, but she isn’t lonely.

She’s fine. She doesn’t know where she is, but honestly, she’s fine. She has a microphone and loop station and feels content filling time with roleplays and soundscapes, summoned from her own memories and voice. She’s fine. But she still talks to ‘Kitty’…

Theatre in Black

LOOP Friday 29 November at 7.30pm

Loop is the second theatrical production from Theatre in the Black. Through an innovative combination of new writing, contemporary performance, and live looping audio, this play offers audiences a charming, candid, and melancholic narrative that guides you through the cycle of loneliness and the steps you can take to overcome it.

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

32 PERFORMANCES

RSM Stage Academy

STEPPING IN STYLE Saturday 30 November at 7.30pm Sunday 1 December at 7.00pm

RSM Stage Academy return to the Arena Theatre after their sell-out shows Footlights & Curtain Calls and Centre Stage.

It is their ninth annual showcase and features an array of students from the Academy, along with professional performers.

If you want to be inspired and watch some outstanding performances, then don’t miss out on this show!

Featuring show-stoppers from West End to Broadway musicals to the current music of today!

Tickets: £16 full price / £14 concessions

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

PERFORMANCES 33

Arena Collaborative Theatremakers

ACT COLLECTION Tuesday 10 December at 7.30pm

In Autumn 2014 the Arena Theatre launched Arena Collaborative Theatremakers: a new development project aimed at engaging local theatremakers across a wide range of disciplines.

The ACT Colletion brings together some of the highlights of this project to share with you – for one night only.

Tickets: ÂŁ5

Over the past five years we have developed a lively, creative community alongside showcasing work by a huge number of writers, actors, directors and theatremakers.

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

Wednesday 18 December at 7.30pm

frivolities are back!

Tickets: £5

Join the staff, associate artists and partners of the Arena Theatre as we celebrate the joyous Christmas season with live entertainment, crafts, and mince pies. This event is fun for all the family!

Our partners and associate artists will be showcasing their talent in a live performance which is free for all to attend. If that wasn’t enough: fun, local craft stalls will be taking over our Tilstone Studio and Seminar Room, giving you the chance to pick up a lovely handmade gift for yourself and a loved one.

When you’ve finished being crafty, there will be mince pies and winter-warming drinks to sate your appetite for festive yummy-ness

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

PERFORMANCES 35

Arena Theatre and Beautiful Shadows present

DARK TALES IN WINTER Thursday 19 December at 7.30pm, Friday 20 December at 7.30pm Saturday 21 December at 7.30pm In an abandoned country mansion, a single door guards a dark secret, and will not stay closed, and at the mouth of a dark railway tunnel, a lone signalman is assailed by ghostly visions...

In the midst of winter, the Arena Theatre and Beautiful Shadows bring you two classic Victorian ghost stories, each newly adapted for the stage by a contemporary playwright and brought to life by a single performer.

In Charlotte Riddell’s mysterious tale a young woman attempts to solve the puzzle of the open door and secure a future for the owner of Ladlow Hall and herself, and Dickens’ classic tale tells of a lonely man driven to the brink of endurance by foretelling visions.

These dark winter tales are set together in an evening of entertainment that will bring a delightful chill to the season.

Tickets: £14 full price / £12 concessions

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

36 LEARNING AND PARTICIPATION

LEARNING + PARTICIPATION Wolverhampton Grand Theatre + Arena Theatre present

YOUTH THEATRE 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.

Juniors = ages 9-13 Seniors = ages 14-18

Term 1:

Monday 9th September – Monday 21st October (7 weeks) (10.5 hours)

Term 2:

Monday 4th November – Monday 16th December (7 weeks) (10.5 hours)

Term 3:

Monday 6th January – Monday 10th February (6 weeks) (9 hours)

Term 4:

Monday 24th February – Monday 30th March (6 weeks) (9 hours)

ARTS AWARD 37

Term 5:

AT THE ARENA

Monday 20th April – Monday 18th May (3 weeks) Excludes Monday 4th May and Monday 11th, plus additional 6 hour sessions on Sunday 3rd May and Saturday 9th May (16.5 hours)

Arts Award is a national qualification for 7-25 year olds, which supports young people’s development as artists and arts leaders.

Term 6:

We offer Arts Award at Bronze and Silver levels, and accept young people from ages 13-18.

Monday 1st June – Monday 13th July (7 weeks) (10.5 hours) Each term will cost £110 and is available to book from 22nd July from the Grand Theatre Box Office on 01902 42 92 12.

It’s a great way to develop creative and leadership skills, whilst getting a qualification recognised nationally by employers and educators.

Look for the Arts Award icon in this programme to find Arts Award events/ performances. Visit the Arts Award website

artsaward.org.uk

or contact us to find out more.

Activity support by Arts Connect West Midlands as part of their Partnership Investment programme.

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

38 AT A GLANCE DATE

WHAT’S ON

13 Aug

Arena Collaborative Theatremakers

20

17 Aug

University of Wolverhampton Undergraduate Open Day

24

19 Sep

University of Wolverhampton Postgraduate Open Day

24

24 Sep

Arena Collaborative Theatremakers

20

28 Sep

Taking Flight – Peeling

1 Oct

PASTA

4 & 5 Oct

Red Earth Theatre – Soonchild

8 Oct

Arena Collaborative Theatremakers

9 Oct

Shasha and Taylor Productions – Everything I See I Swallow

12 Oct

University of Wolverhampton Undergraduate Open Day

12 Oct

Little Angel Theatre – Emily Rising

7

17 Oct

Paula Varjack – The Cult of K*nzo

8

18 & 19 Oct

The Bone Ensemble – Gulp!

9

22 Oct

Theatre Supper – Holly Boyden

17

23 Oct

No Amps, No Chat, No Charge

21

24 Oct

Demi Nandhra – Life is No Laughing Matter

10

25 Oct

Fierce Festival – ALBUM

11

26 Oct

Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists – Finding Your Funny Roots

11

26 Oct

Trevor Lewis Presents – Stand Up For Mystery Hour

12

27 Oct

Bits of Bob Theatre – The Barn Ultimatum

12

29 & 30 Oct

London Classic Theatre – No Man’s Land by Harold Pinter

13

1 & 2 Nov

Starcross Youth Theatre – Bouncers by John Godber

13

8 Nov

Lewis Doherty – BOAR

14

9 Nov

Jaivant Patel Dance and Arena Theatre Present – Diwali Utsav: Sitaron Ke Sang

15

12 Nov

Arena Collaborative Theatremakers

20

13 Nov

No Amps, No Chat, No Charge

21

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321

PAGE

4 19 5 20 6 24

AT A GLANCE 39 DATE

WHAT’S ON

PAGE

14 Nov

Gonzo Moose – Once Upon a Time

26

15 Nov

Sonia Sabri Company – Same Same… But Different

27

16 Nov

University of Wolverhampton Undergraduate Open Day

24

16 Nov

Notnow Collective – Pepper & Honey

27

19 Nov

Theatre Supper – Daisy Black

17

21 Nov

ACE Dance and Music – SKIN Reimagined

28

22 Nov

Jo Tyabji – Motherland

28

23 Nov

Jaivant Patel Dance – Yaatra

29

24 Nov

RSM Stage Academy – Magical Mysteries

30

25 Nov

Arena Film Theatre – Elf

16

26 Nov

PASTA

19

28 Nov

University of Wolverhampton Postgraduate Open Day

24

29 Nov

Theatre in Black – LOOP

31

30 Nov

RSM Stage Academy – Stepping in Style

32

2 Dec

Arena Film Theatre – Love Actually

16

3 Dec

Theatre Supper – Neal Pike

17

9 Dec

Arena Film Theatre – It’s a Wonderful Life

16

10 Dec

Arena Collaborative Theatremakers – ACT Collection

33

11 Dec

No Amps, No Chat, No Charge

21

16 Dec

Arena Film Theatre – Muppet’s Christmas Carol

16

18 Dec

Arena Theatre – Festive Frivolities

34

19, 20 & 21 Dec

Arena Theatre and Beautiful Shadows present – Dark Tales in Winter

35

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk

40 HOW TO BOOK

BOOK ONLINE

arena.wlv.ac.uk

TICKET OFFERS

BOOK BY PHONE

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.

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.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS

Dr. Kinny Gardner BEM Arena Theatre Patron Dave Holland Arena Theatre Patron Jaivant Patel Associate Artist

Friends

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.

GIFT VOUCHERS ift the g ur Give e with o hers. tr a uc e h of t heatre vo ena Ar aT Aren sable on ws. See U sho c.uk e r t Thea na.wlv.a . are details for

SEATING PLAN 41

SEATING PLAN Reserved Seating

When booking your tickets you can choose where you sit (subject to availability).

Simply choose from the seating plan below.

ENTRANCE

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

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

J14

J15

AISLE HOUSE MANAGER 8 7

5

4

STEPS DOWN

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

3 2 1

SOUND DESK 9 10 11 12

13

BALCONY

BALCONY

6

G1

14

STAGE/PERFORMANCE AREA

15 16

ENJOY DINNER + A SHOW The Hungry Bistro £15 Meal for 1 or £30 Meal for 2 offer

Located in Wolverhampton City Centre, The Hungry Bistro aims to provide its customers with great home-cooked food at reasonable, honest prices.

Individual diners can have a two-course meal and a large glass of wine for £15. If you’re dining with a friend or loved one, you can choose a two-course meal for £30 which includes a bottle of their finest house wine.

81 Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1EQ www.hungrybistro.com

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Design by Creative Services, University of Wolverhampton ER1426

ARENA

THEATRE

@Arena_Theatre

arenatheatre

BOX OFFICE 01902 321 321 • ONLINE arena.wlv.ac.uk • EMAIL arena@wlv.ac.uk Arena Theatre, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1SE. Disclaimer: All prices and times correct at time of going to print. Please check the website for latest updates