Jan McNulty
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Posts posted by Jan McNulty
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I can understand the angst about wanting to know casting in advance but you should try following a company that very rarely gives any casting in advance! At most, if we get any at all, it is a couple of weeks in advance and then usually only the first half of the week.
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Hello @MadDanceDad and welcome to the Forum!
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Hello @TheGrandSophy and welcome out of the lurking shadows!
Thanks so much for your report on this evening.
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Thanks for the update Michelle.
I hope your GP can help get you sorted.
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I got very excited when I saw the company is due back in Liverpool but I can't go the night they are here!
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Hello @Blue and welcome to the Forum!
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7 hours ago, Tony Newcombe said:
In reply to Janet above. Shang has danced Aurora before. It was in 2018. Some wonderful comments about some of the more junior dancers. Reina Fuchigami and Gus Payne danced the “Bluebird” again tonight and were very good. Also Reina danced the Songbird Fairy this afternoon and I think she dances it as well as anybody in the two Royal Companies. She has blossomed since Carlos took over as Director. Time for couple of days rest from Beauty. Still another performance to come from Kurihara and Monaghan. Can’t wait
Thanks Tony.
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I was at both performances in Birmingham on Thursday 22nd.
In the evening we saw Yaoqian Shang and Max Maslen with Gabriel Anderson as Carabosse and Tori Forsyth-Hecken as the Lilac Fairy. I think it was Yaoqian's debut (can @Tony Newcombe confirm?) and a very auspicious debut it was too.
Yaoqian's interpretation was lovely - as with Yu on Wednesday evening she was able to convey her wonder at the ball and blossom into a flirtatious young Princess as she was introduced to the Princes. Her rose adagio was a delight and she was radiant throughout. I can remember a time at BRB when you could judge how Aurora felt about the adagio by who was dancing the Princes - sometimes all 4 were experienced principals! No such doubts about Yaoqian though.
From his first appearance in Act 2 Max Maslen was every inch the Prince. He and Yaoqian were absolutely sublime in the forest scene and the gpdd.
Tori Forsyth-Hecken was elegant as Lilac and she proved to have the serenity that goes with the role in this production. Gabriel Anderson was just awesome as Carabosse. It's the first time I've seen a man dance the role since David Morse retired some years ago. He really got into the spirit of the role and was very scary! I can't wait to see him again in the role.
I very much liked Reina Fuchigami and Gus Payne in Bluebird.
Again the whole company through themselves into the performance and it was a good way to end my Birmingham shows.
The afternoon performance was both poignant and special as it marked César Morales penultimate performance before retirement and his relocation to his home country of Chile to take up Directorship of the Santiago Ballet.
Regan Hutsell made an amazing debut as Carabosse - she scared the life out of me! She's definitely a dancer to look out for. Yu Kurihara, fresh from her triumphant Aurora on Wednesday evening had Lilac Fairy pitch perfect. She and Regan were brilliant foils for each other.
César's Aurora was Beatrice Parma, who had made her debut in role with Tzu Chao Chou in Southampton. Her interpretation of Aurora was a feisty Princess who wasn't phased by all the attention at her party. She was particularly strong (if you see what I mean) in her rose adagio.
César gave us an elegant, heartfelt performance. His sense of yearning in act 2 was palpable and he was so happy to find the Princess of his dreams. He and Beatrice were delightful together and looked wonderful, given that she was a new partner. The gpdd in act 3 was sublime and I never wanted it to end.
Of course it was emotional when the final curtain fell. The packed stalls gave César and Beatrice a long and well deserved standing ovation. I'm so glad I was there to see César give us his particular magic that afternoon and it is a memory I will cherish. I guess his final performance will be even more emotional and special.
(Sadly no curtain call photographs - the staff at the Hippodrome were particularly strict and pounced on anyone who looked as though they were going to take a photograph).
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8 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:
What sort of pieces will they be performing? Classical and contemporary I guess?
The performance details are listed in the link provided by Amelia. Works by Crystal Pite, James Kudelka and Emma Portner.
James Kudelka works in the classical idiom as far as I am aware. Crystal Pite seems mostly to be contemporary and I've not seen anything by the other choreographer. It sounds like an interesting programme.
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9 minutes ago, Amelia said:
If my post with a link to the Canadian Ballet website is considered unnecessary, it can be deleted.
I think it's worthy of its own thread Amelia - it had passed me by and I had read and published the Sadler's Wells PR! Thank you!
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Flamenco Festival London 2024
Sadler’s Wells Theatre & Lilian Baylis Studio
Tuesday 4 – Saturday 15 JuneThe Flamenco Festival returns to Sadler’s Wells this summer for its 19th edition from Tuesday 4 – Saturday 15 June. This year’s festival features seven UK premieres and thrilling performances from flamenco luminaries, with a varied programme of dance performances and concerts.
Rocío Molina opens the Flamenco Festival 2024 with her trademark subversion of flamenco traditions in Al Fondo Riela on Tuesday 4 June. Using the original flamenco trio of dance, song and guitar, Al Fondo Riela is a piece about reflection and the loss of reality. On stage, she is accompanied by two contrasting guitarists, Oscar Lago with his traditional, technical skill, and Yerai Cortés with his innovative flair.
Molina returns after her appearance at the Flamenco Festival in 2019, the same year she won the Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for outstanding female performance in Caída del Cielo (Fallen from Heaven). In 2022, she became the first flamenco dancer to win the Silver Lion at the Venice Biennale.
Premier flamenco guitarist and Latin Grammy Award-winner Vicente Amigo has been dubbed one of the most accomplished flamenco guitarists of his generation. He presents a concert that bridges classical and nuevo flamenco on Wednesday 5 June, fusing jazz, folk and South American rhythms without losing the essence of flamenco. Amigo is seen as a successor to the composer and flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía.
Virtuoso performers Patricia Guerrero and Alfonso Losa strip flamenco bare and explore personal connection in Alter Ego on Thursday 6 June. Developed from a series of improvisations in the studio, Alter Ego is an intense duet that combines conventional flamenco with unbridled movement. Guerrero draws geometric figures with her dance, dismantling her movements and recreating them anew. Losa develops new schemes without breaking the mould and stays true to his roots.
Eva Yerbabuena reflects on her 20-year career in Yerbagüena (bright dark), as she takes to the stage from Friday 7 – Saturday 8 June with her musical director, guitarist and husband, Paco Jarana, as well as two singers and two percussionists.
Yerbabuena is known for exploring the tension between traditional and nuevo flamenco, and most famously for her interpretations of the soleá - the dance of solitude. Her career has included an invitation from Pina Bausch to perform at the Tanztheater Wuppertal 25th anniversary festival, choreographing Mi Niña Manuela for the Ballet Nacional de España, and working with film director Mike Figgis, for the documentary Flamenco Women.
Celebrated flamenco musician Israel Fernández presents his latest album Pura Sangre on Sunday 9 June in collaboration with renowned Jerez guitarist Diego del Morao. In his most personal work to date, Pura Sangre is an intimate look at Fernández’s surroundings and his way of interacting with the outside world. Fernández’s album Amor won the Premio Odeón and he has also been nominated for Best Flamenco Album in the Latin Grammy Awards.
On Monday 10 June, choreographer David Coria and singer David Lagos converge in a contemporary interpretation of the fandango, a popular and festive musical style from Andalusia with more than 500 years of history. From flamenco to contemporary movement, traditional song to electronic music, ¡Fandango! draws on Iberian folk culture to celebrate Spanish history and tradition. Coria has collaborated with numerous Spanish dance companies including Compañía Andaluza de Danza, Ballet Nacional de España, Rafaela Carrasco and Rocío Molina. Lagos won four awards at the Biennal of Flamenco in Seville in 2020 including the award for the best performance.Ballet Nacional de España will close the festival in an extravaganza of music, movement and colour with Invocación from Wednesday 12 – Saturday 15 June. Artistic Director Rubén Olmo curates this all-encompassing evening featuring 38 dancers and four works that cover the cornerstones of Spanish dance, from vibrant flamenco and traditional bolero to contemporary dance and classical ballet. De lo Flamenco is a tribute to the legendary dancer and choreographer Mario Maya. Olmo choreographs two works; Jauleña, performed by a different soloist from the company each night, and the colourful, ensemble piece, Invocación Bolera. Finally, Antonio Najarro’s Eterna Iberia features the signature elements of Spanish dance – castanets, the Spanish Cape, and the Cordobes Hat.
As one of the main cultural ambassadors of Spain to the world, Ballet Nacional de España highlights Spain’s rich choreographic heritage. The National Ballet, founded by the Ministry of Culture in 1978, continues to set the standard for Spanish dance.
Miguel Marín, director of Flamenco Festival said “This year’s festival offers a window into the dynamic and vibrant landscape of contemporary flamenco. From the groundbreaking artistry of Rocio Molina to the timeless mastery embodied in Mario Maya's BNE piece, the award-winning innovation of emerging talent like David Coria and the profound flamenco expressions of the esteemed Eva Yerbabuena – the queen of deep flamenco. The festival also showcases unparalleled virtuosity with performances by Alfonso Losa and Patricia Guerrero. In the realm of music, we are graced by the brilliance of guitar virtuoso, Vicente Amigo, and the resonant voice of today, Israel Fernandez, hailed as the most acclaimed singer in the current flamenco landscape.”
Flamenco Festival 2024 takes places across Sadler’s Wells Theatre and the Lilian Baylis Studio, with further shows in the Lilian Baylis Studio to be announced soon.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Listings Information
Flamenco Festival London 2024
Sadler’s Wells Theatre & Lilian Baylis StudioTuesday 4 - Saturday 15 June
Tickets from £15
Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com
About Flamenco Festival
Flamenco Festival is dedicated to showcasing and promoting Spanish culture worldwide. Under the direction and leadership of Miguel Marín, the festival's annual international events serve as a platform for presenting today's foremost flamenco luminaries — from internationally acclaimed artists and venerable icons of traditional flamenco to the most cutting-edge and promising young talents in dance, music, and song.
Established in 2001, Flamenco Festival has evolved into the premier global platform for flamenco, captivating over 1.6 million people annually. Across 112 cities, it has featured 170 companies in 1350 performances, elevating flamenco to a vital part of the season of prestigious theaters worldwide, including NY City Center, Carnegie Hall, London Sadler's Wells, Arsht Center in Miami, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, and more.
In 2012, Flamenco Festival launched the 'In Progress' residency program in New York, later extending to Miami and London. Evolving further in 2022, the program takes on a new dimension with groundbreaking 'glo-cal' creative labs in Torrox (Málaga). This initiative aims to expand the creative horizons of flamenco, encouraging experimentation and self-discovery, embracing the arts as a powerful catalyst for both individual and social transformation.
About Sadler’s Wells
Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance organisation. We strive to make and share dance that inspires us all. Our acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap.We commission, produce and present more dance than any other organisation in the world. Since 2005, we have helped to bring more than 200 new dance works to the stage, embracing both the popular and the unknown. Our acclaimed productions tour the world. Since 2005 we’ve produced 64 new full-length works and performed to audiences of more than two million, touring to 51 countries.
Each year, over half a million people visit our three London theatres - Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Lilian Baylis Studio and Peacock Theatre. Millions more attend our touring productions nationally and internationally or explore our digital platforms, including Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage.
Sadler’s Wells East
In 2024 we’re opening a fourth London venue in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Sadler’s Wells East will house a 550-seat mid-scale theatre, as well as facilities for the new Rose Choreographic School and the hip hop theatre training centre, Academy Breakin’ Convention.
Sadler’s Wells East joins the rich cultural heritage of Stratford, opening in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as part of the East Bank development alongside the BBC, UAL’s London College of Fashion, UCL and the V&A. Sadler’s Wells East will support artist development and training, and the creation of new work. It will build the infrastructure for dance and make it accessible to more people. Sadler’s Wells East will house a flexible theatre presenting a wide variety of dance performances. Community will be at the heart of Sadler’s Wells East with a large open foyer that can be used by everyone as a meeting or performance space. There will also be dance studios and world-class dance facilities for dancemakers to train, create and rehearse productions.Supporting artists
Supporting artists is at the heart of our work. We have associate artists and companies, which nurture some of the most exciting talent working in dance today. We host the National Youth Dance Company, which draws together some of the brightest young dancers from across the country. Sadler’s Wells Breakin' Convention runs professional development programmes to champion and develop the world’s best hip hop artists, as well as producing, programming and touring groundbreaking hip hop performances.
Learning and community links
Around 30,000 people take part in our learning and engagement programmes every year. We support schools local to our theatres in Islington and Stratford, designing experiences for children and young people to watch, explore and critically engage with the arts. We also run Company of Elders, a resident performance company of dancers aged over 60 who rehearse with renowned artists to make new work for public performances locally, nationally and internationally.
Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.
Stay up to date with everything Sadler’s Wells on social media
Facebook: @SadlersWells
Twitter: @Sadlers_Wells
Instagram: @sadlers_wells
YouTube: Sadler’s Wells Theatre
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BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET - SLEEPING BEAUTY - WEDNESDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2024 - BIRMINGHAM
Cast: Princess Aurora - Yu Kurihara
Prince Florimund - Lachlan Monaghan
Lilac Fairy - Eilis Small
Carabosse - Daria Stanciulescu
Birmingham Royal Ballet opened Sir Peter Wright’s production of Sleeping Beauty at the Company’s home theatre in Birmingham on Wednesday. It is 40 years since the premiere of this production and it still comes up as fresh as a daisy.
This is a traditional telling of the tale and the designs by Philip Prowse are absolutely sumptuous and set the scene right from the start when a page with candelabra walks across the stage to open the curtains on a colour palette of early autumnal colours.
The prologue gets us off to a cracking start with the courtiers fussing over the baby Princess Aurora and her parents just so proud of her. The Lilac Fairy is a character role and the solo for her variation is danced by The Fairy of Joy. It is particularly effective that the Lilac Fairy and Carabosse are almost mirror images of each other.
The Fairy solos were all well danced with Reina Fuchigami and the divine Momoko Hirata both outstanding as the Fairies of Song and Temperament respectively.
Daria Stanciulescu îs an impossibly glamorous and gleeful Carabosse well matched by the elegant and serene Lilac Fairy of Eilis Small. The fairy cavaliers were wonderfully synchronised in their dance.
So the prologue ended with Carabosse storming off in her chariot and the Lilac Fairy calming everyone down with her reassurance as the curtain fell and then did a bounce to show us the scene in all its glory again.
Act 1 started with the garland dance coinciding with the Princes’ arrival. There was a nice little interaction between the Princes, all vying for attention and studiously ignoring each other.
The tension and excitement builds with the music for Princess Aurora’s arrival and we were not disappointed! Yu Kurihara may be one of the younger dancers but she has a warmth and intelligence in her dancing that make her a joy to watch. When she came on stage she was all full of wonder and surprise and the grandness of the party for her. When her father told her she would be getting married she was overawed and then flirtatious with the 4 Princes. Her rose adagio and the following solo could best be described as sublime. She was technically very strong but she still gave us the overwhelming impression of a young girl blossoming into a young woman. Then, of course, Carabosse comes and ruins the party. The act ends with all the courtiers rushing around and finally calming down and going to sleep as the Lilac Fairy sticks to her promise and causes the forest to grow and hide the palace.
After a pause Act 2 gets underway with Lachlan Monaghan every inch the Prince full of ennui with his hunting party.
After the blind man’s buff with Gallison ending up by clutching the Prince he sends the hunters off to reflect on his own. This scene has been shortened over the years but still makes cohesive sense. As the Prince is wondering what to do the Lilac Fairy arrives and shows him the sleeping Princess. He immediately declares his love and the fairy attendants appear. This scene is just luscious with the fairies almost acting as the forest as the Prince and Aurora have a beautiful duet wandering among them as the fairies weave across the stage. When Aurora has gone we again get the impression of the fairies as the forest as the fairies are teasing the Prince towards her sleeping place in the palace. Eventually he reaches the forest and the Lilac Fairy guides him through with Carabosse and her attendants trying to stop him. There is a wonderful confrontation between the Lilac Fairy and Carabosse just before the final awakening. The walk forward side by side with their arms stretched out and fingers almost touching. It makes so much sense that they are mirror images. Of course the Prince finds Aurora and after thinking about the best course of action - ie to kiss her awake - Carabosse slinks off. The act ends with them embracing as the King and Queen rush on stage. I gather that the awakening duet was shown in Plymouth but it was not danced in Birmingham.
Act 3 is a glittery celebration of the wedding of Princess Aurora and Prince Florimund. I particularly liked the crisp dancing in the pas de quatre and the Bluebird pdd of Enrique Bejarano Vidal and Sofie Liñares (although Vidal did run a little out of steam before the end of his solo).
The gpdd of Yu Kurihara and Lachlan Monaghan was exquisite. Beautifully danced you could see that Florimund was totally besotted with Aurora. There were some spine-tingling moments when they were together. Lachlan Monaghan really is a superb partner and he and Yu Kurihara have been partnered together in a few works recently so you could see how confident they are in each other.
Of course the final wedding tableau with the glitter coming down from the flies finished the evening off in grand style.
This really is a fabulous production of Sleeping Beauty and all the dancers of BRB did Sir Peter Wright proud in coping so well with what is probably the most technically demanding ballet of the classical canon.
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3 minutes ago, Jamesrhblack said:
I do. That’s an internet auto correct. Might a moderator rescue me from forum shame?
Done! Recently I didn’t notice autocorrect corrected my diminutive name to Jacob! -
Hello @Hope75 and welcome to the Forum!
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39 minutes ago, Emeralds said:
Oh my goodness- Alexander Campbell leaving RB?!! Has someone told @Jan McNulty?
He still is young despite having danced many leading and featured parts at BRB & RB and I'd been hoping to see him in more roles. Glad I've booked to see his Des Grieux.
Congratulations to him for getting the RAD post and to the RAD for securing such a great person for the role. Still, it feels like he's leaving too soon, when he still has so many great performances in him and is at the top of his game.
Alex must be in his late 30s. People forget he learned his trade at BRB for at least 6 years before he moved over to RB.
I will never forget his outstanding performance as Cyrano, his Will Mossop, his Puck and so many other roles at BRB plus Albrecht, Lescaut, Des Grieux and more at RB.
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Greenwich Dance announces transfer of grant agreements to keep community projects going
Following Greenwich Dance’s closure at the end of last year, plans can now be announced for the continuation of some of its key activity through a series of new agreements fostered by the organisation, ensuring the local community continue to benefit from its work.
The news follows Greenwich Dance’s success at the One Dance UK Awards, where its CEO and Creative Director, Melanie Precious won The Dance Spotlight Award and the organisation was nominated for the Community Champion Award.
Greenwich Dance and Arts Trust Productions’ partnership project, Summer in the Park, a festival series which animates popular and lesser known public spaces across Greenwich and Bexley, and the popular outdoor class series presented in Greenwich Park, will now be delivered solely by Arts Trust Productions an organisation dedicated to bringing cultural experiences to public spaces for marginalised communities and artists. This follows successful negotiations with funders The National Lottery Community Fund and The Royal Parks who have both agreed to transfer grant agreements to Arts Trust Productions.
Launched at the start of the pandemic, Dance for Wellbeing will continue with the programme now being led by Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. This weekly class programme taking place across five locations in South East London, aims to enhance people’s physical and mental health, while offering an inclusive space for people to come together and dance. City Bridge Foundation has agreed to transfer the grant to Trinity Laban to ensure the project can continue to have a positive impact on the community,
ArtsUnboxed, the revolutionary platform offering new ways to create and share dance work in a sustainable and cost-effective way, will be hosted byPeople Dancing, the UK’s leading organisation for community and participatory dance.
As previously announced, the organisation’s Adult Performance Company, known as GD Collective, will now be taken on by its Artistic Director Maria da Luz Ghoumrassi, with a year of studio hire costs provided by Greenwich Dance to help ease financial risk. Talking Moves, a podcast all about dance, will be kept available for people to listen and download by Woolwich based podcast production studio Creative Kin.
Following Greenwich Dance’s closure, monies remaining will be distributed to Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, Luca Silvestrini's Protein, and Chisenhale Dance Space.
CEO and Creative Director of Greenwich Dance, Melanie Precious said: “Through the challenges of the last year my team and I at Greenwich Dance have continued to work tirelessly for our community of local residents and dance artists. While we are all saddened by the closure of the organisation, I am pleased that by negotiating these new agreements our work will continue beyond the organisation and Greenwich Dance’s legacy will be felt for years to come.”
For 30 years Greenwich Dance was at the centre of participatory dance and artist development across South East London, providing a home for innovative dance creation, performance, and community participation. Its wide-ranging portfolio of activities included classes, performance projects, festivals, and events. Before its closure Greenwich Dance became a fighting voice for the importance of arts and culture, highlighting the challenges other similar organisations were experiencing with key policy makers at local and central government level.
To find out more about Summer in the Park and the Greenwich Park class programme see www.artstrust.co.uk
For more information about Dance for Wellbeing see www.trinitylaban.ac.uk
For queries regarding ArtsUnboxed see www.communitydance.org.uk
Notes to Editors
Summer in the Park is supported by The National Lottery Community Fund, the Greenwich Park class programme is supported by The Royal Parks, Dance for Wellbeing is supported by City Bridge Foundation, ArtsUnboxed is supported by Esme Fairburn Foundation.
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49 minutes ago, Lynette H said:
Birmingham City council is virtually bankrupt. Latest cuts to the arts are reported on the BBC as follows
Birmingham City Council declared bankruptcy last year.
As far as I am aware BCC cut most of its funding to BRB several years ago - it is why SDB did not have the money to bring Stanton Welsh's production of Bayadere to the company.
Hopefully, if they had still been receiving any money from the Council then they have prepared for this.
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No point in publishing the official press release then!
Congratulations to Alex and very best wishes to him for the future.
Sadly I won't be able to get to his final performance but I've got so many wonderful memories of his performances tucked away in my memory banks.
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Hello @Coppeliaballet and welcome to the Forum!
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Links - Wednesday 21 February, 2024
Obituary - Eleanor Fazan OBE, director, actress, dancer, choreographer: Staff, Times
Obituary - Robin Windsor, dancer: Alexi Duggins, Guardian
Reviews - Ivan Putrov Productions, Dance for Ukraine, London:
Helen Hawkins, Arts Desk
Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide
Review - New York City Ballet, Rotunda, Concerto for Two Pianos, Odesa, New York: Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc
Reviews - Tanztheater Wuppertal, Nelken, London:
Matthew Paluch, Broadway World
Jordan Lian, Seeing Dance
Jess Gonzalez, Everything Theatre
Review - Empower in Motion Gala, London: Kathrina FerrugiapKriel, Gramilano
Review - Joffrey Ballet, Studies in Blue (triple bill), Chicago: JT Newman, Chicago Reader
Reviews - Twyla Tharp Dance, triple bill, New York:
Joel Benjamin, Theater Scene
Christina Pandolfi, Broadway World
Jocelyn Noveck, ABC News
Review - Pacific Northwest Ballet, Swan Lake, Seattle: Dean Speer, Critical Dance
Review - Washington Ballet, Jazz Icons: A Fine Romance, Washington: Roger Catlin, Broadway World
Review - Ècole des Sables/Pina Bausch Foundation, The Rite of Spring, common ground[s], Berkeley: Lou Fancher, 48 Hills
Review - Perth: Jonathan W Marshall, Dance Australia
Matt Pasquet, Only Bones V.1.9
The Farm, Stunt Double
Review - Varna International Ballet, The Nutcracker, Brighton: John Groves, London Theatre 1
Feature - Seoul Metropolitan Ballet: Hwang Dong-Hee, Korea Herald
Feature - Restless Dance Theatre: Walter Marsh, Guardian
Feature - Polly Bennett, choreographer: Fiona Golfar, FT
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Hello @Katerina and welcome to the Forum!
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Hello @Chonavb and welcome to the Forum!
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Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2024
in Not Dance
Posted
PRESS RELEASE
Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube / Website
NORFOLK & NORWICH FESTIVAL 2024
FRIDAY 10 - SUNDAY 26 MAY 2024
NORFOLK & NORWICH FESTIVAL 2024
FULL PROGRAMME IS ANNOUNCED TODAY AS TICKETS GO ON SALE
The giant puppet from L’Homme Debout’s Mo and The Red Ribbon which will roam the streets of Norwich
Festival Director, Daniel Brine, has today announced the full programme for this year’s Norfolk & Norwich Festival. Tickets are on sale to those with Priority Booking from 27 February and public booking opens on 1 March at www.nnfestival.org.uk.
This year’s programme features a range of international acts rubbing shoulders with national and local artists. The programme features a number of ‘stories’ providing guided routes through the Festival and bringing together shows and events that share common themes. Whisper and Shout focuses on the ways in which artists communicate - from small, intimate moments of contemplation, to bold, in-your-face brashness. Our East Voicesshares the work of some exciting artists from the East of England, while A Greener Worldexplores how artists tackle our concerns for the natural world.
A giant puppet will parade through the streets of Norwich as French company L’Homme Debout bring their playful and poetic story of Mo and The Red Ribbon as part of the opening Welcome Weekend on the city’s streets. Columbian circus troupe Circolombiapresent the world premiere of Corazón as the centrepiece to the Adnams Spiegeltent programme. One of two resident artists at this year’s Festival, harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani performs a trio of shows, including an all-Bach programme with the Britten Sinfonia. Chamber Choir Ireland will perform a programme featuring the best contemporary choral music.
This year also sees Norfolk & Norwich Festival and Norwich Theatre collaborating on an international celebration of dance and physical theatre in a programme of work curated by both organisations. It features Tess by circus company Ockham’s Razor - a new adaptation of the Thomas Hardy classic, a short film by Dan Canham - Fenland Elegy, the UK premiere of Rachel Ní Bhraonáin’s high-octane dance theatre, MOSH, Xenia Aidonopoulou’s playful children’s dance show Skydiver and the new collaboration between Marc Brew and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui - an Accident / a Life.
The ’stories’ woven through this year’s programme sees Our East Voices bring together a diverse and impressive collection of local artists. Laura Cannell, who as part of the second artistic residency, will perform her album Antiphony of The Trees live in Norwich Cathedral and, amongst her other Festival performances, shares music and conversation in Dark Tales from The Guildhall. Master of Music at Norwich Cathedral Ashley Grote, will perform Olivier Messaien on the newly refurbished cathedral organ and Molly Naylorpresents Make Me – a work in progress, devised with local young people.
Local poetry collective Toast will curate this year’s Speak Easy – a performance poetry tent in Festival Gardens. Spill Festival director Robin Deacon performs his own work Through The Round Window and poet Luke Wright celebrates his 25th anniversary as a performer with a show in the Adnams Spiegeltent.
A Greener World explores issues surrounding the environment and features the world premiere of Steve Waters’ three short plays entitled Phoenix Dodo Butterfly. On Our Doorsteps is an installation exploring the relationships between urban communities and the green spaces in their neighbourhood - created by We Live Here, Zakiya Mackenzie and Tiitu Takalo, in collaboration with local people and Norfolk Wildlife Trust. Art for the Environment, at GroundWork gallery in King’s Lynn showcases some of the most exciting artists from University of the Arts London, drawing attention to our fragile planet.
Lucy McCormick’s Lucy and Friends is an anarchic cry for help, which subverts the normal dynamic between audience and performer. It sits in the Whisper and Shout section of the programme that examines the many different ways artists speak to an audience. Contrastingly, Memory of Birds by Lebanese artist Tania El Khoury is a lulling contemplation about political violence.
Presented in partnership with the National Centre for Writing, the City of Literature Weekend explores questions of communication and representation with numerous events and writers including Carys Davies, Jon McGregor, Val McDermid and Marchelle Farrell.
Other Festival highlights include the world premiere of new eight hour epic organ composition 268 years of reverb, composed by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, and at Houghton Hall, Antony Gormley’s spectacular large scale installation Time Horizon and a series of sculptures by Magdalene Odundo. The launch of The Book of Thetford, created by 8-11 year old children from Thetford schools, in collaboration with artists Andy Field and Beckie Darlington, showcases one of several projects with the community run by the Festival.
Festival Director Daniel Brine said: “We are excited by the depth, democracy and diversity of this year’s programme. There’s an exciting blend of international acts including premieres and new commissions. I’m particularly looking forward to presenting Rachel Ní Bhraonáin’s MOSH and thrilled we’ve been able to commission a new circus show from Circolombia – the first time we’ve done so in a number of years. Importantly though for us, there’s a strong flavour of the East about the Festival with artists like Laura Cannell, Molly Naylor and Luke Wright but also, with our new community collaborations, we’re bringing to the fore the voices of many, many local people.”
The full programme for Norfolk and Norwich Festival 2024 can be found below.
NORFOLK & NORWICH FESTIVAL 2024
THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE
WELCOME WEEKEND
Friday 10 - Sunday 12 May
Norwich City Centre
FREE
Free performances across the city centre - see website for full listings.
L’HOMME DEBOUT
Mo and the Red Ribbon
Friday 10 May, 9pm
Norwich City Centre
FREE
Follow Mo’s fantastical journey towards a new life. Combining giant puppetry and emotional storytelling, Mo and the Red Ribbon explores the experience of migration from a child’s perspective, offering an ultimately optimistic look at the world we inhabit and those we share it with.
STEVE WATERS
Phoenix Dodo Butterfly
Saturday 11 May, 7.30pm, UEA Drama Studio
Saturday 25 May, 7.30pm, The Drill House, Great Yarmouth
Tickets £20 (Norwich), £16 (Great Yarmouth) | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
What future do we want to live in? On a Norfolk farm, Martin and Becky seek to find their way through three futures: one of flood, one of fire, and one of drought. Does their estranged daughter Aimee hold the secret to survival? This unique show will be followed by a panel discussion on the climate crisis, including speakers Patrick Barkham (UEA) and Tom Heap (Drill House).
The performance on Saturday 11 May will be BSL interpreted.
SHEILA GHELANI & SUE PALMER
Common Salt
Tuesday 14 & Wednesday 15 May, 6pm
This performance will also be live streamed on Wednesday 15 May at 6pm for free (please book in advance).
Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery
Tickets £16 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
Common Salt is a performance around a table – a ‘show and tell’, exploring the colonial and geographical history of England and India. Sue and Sheila activate insights into our shared past, laying out a ‘home museum’ of objects and stories; creating ‘a miniature with epic undertones.’ All of this is accompanied by laments on the shruti box, a traditional Indian instrument.
CIRCOLOMBIA
Corazón
Wednesday 15 - Sunday 26 May, 7.30pm (Sundays 5.30pm)
Adnams Spiegeltent
Weekdays £25, £22, Fri-Sat-Sun £27, £24 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
A brand new show. All the way from South America and created especially for the Adnams Spiegeltent! Circolombia invites you into their home to experience Corazón (Heart). This world premiere, commissioned by Norfolk & Norwich Festival, is a fun-fuelled circus concert, packed with breathless circus feats and infectious music where you, the audience, are warmly invited right into the beating Latin heart.
TANIA EL KHOURY
Memory of Birds
Thursday 16 May - Saturday 18 May, every hour 11am-4pm
Sainsbury Centre Sculpture Park
Tickets £16 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
Immerse yourself in a guided sensory experience. In collaboration with a trauma therapist and migrating birds, Memory of Birds is an interactive sound installation in the trees. The work explores political violence that both literally and figuratively gets buried in contested land.
Ages 14+
HIGH TIDE & MOLLY NAYLOR
Make Me
Thursday 16 May, 6pm
Walter Roy Theatre, Hewett Academy
Tickets £7.50
Set around a struggling secondary school in Ipswich, Make Me tells the story of an inept drama teacher with a saviour-complex, and the three young women she’s determined to save.A Festival Connect & Create project, in partnership with High Tide, Make Me was devised in collaboration with GCSE drama pupils of Hewett Academy.
This is a work in progress performance.
LUCY MCCORMICK
Lucy & Friends
Thursday 16 May, 10pm
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £18 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
In a despairing world, Lucy McCormick attempts to create community and connection the only way she knows how – through a smattering of sing-a-longs and a celebration of silliness. A master of theatrical manipulation and crushing personal vulnerability, Lucy leaves her audiences needing a hug, a cry and an immediate shower.
Contains strong language, scenes of a sexual nature and nudity.
Ages 18+
TANIA EL KHOURY
in conversation with Lois Keidan
Saturday 18 May, 4pm
Elizabeth Fry Lecture Theatre, UEA
Tickets £5
Join Tania El Khoury as she talks to Lois Keidan, founder of the Live Art Development Agency, about Memory of Birds and notions of migration, the politics of interacting with humans and the more-than-humans, the production of collective memory and the cultivation of solidarity.
NORWICH THEATRE PRESENT OCKHAM’S RAZOR
Tess
Tuesday 21 & Wednesday 22 May, 7.30pm
Norwich Theatre Royal
Tickets £25, £20, £10
Classic literature, physical theatre and circus collide in Tess; a groundbreaking adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s classic novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles. An inventive and evocative retelling, Tess has extraordinary relevance for contemporary audiences, exploring privilege, class, poverty, sisterhood and female desire.
Ages 12+
ROBIN DEACON
Through the Round Window
Wednesday 22 May, 7.30pm
Norwich Arts Centre
Tickets £16 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
Robin Deacon presents his haunted memories of 1970’s and 80’s television culture. Robin charts his journey as a child learning from the television screen to his adult experiences as a lecturer and a professor, examining the relationship between education and representation.
SUSANNAH HEWLETT & ORIGINALPROJECTS PRESENT
Hard Leisure
Friday 24 May, 8pm
The Jube, Great Yarmouth
Tickets Pay what you can, £20, £15, £10, £5
An anarchic club night of performance and disco, bringing together some of the most outrageous queer talents from across the country. Hosted by Great Yarmouth’s very own Bigg Taystee and Pussyfoot, keeping you on the dancefloor until 2am.
NORWICH THEATRE PRESENT MARC BREW & SIDI LARBI CHERKAOUI
an Accident / a Life
Friday 24 & Saturday 25 May, 19:30
Norwich Theatre Royal
Tickets £35, £32, £28, £24, £10
In this exciting new collaboration, Marc Brew and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui attempt to find new forms of movement and question socially standardised images of people with disabilities. They explore profound events and fraught memories using dance, storytelling, film and a car.
Ages 14+
SPARE TYRE
On The Beach
Thursday 23 May, 11.30am & 2.30pm | Sheringham Little Theatre
Saturday 25 May, 11.30am & 2.30pm | St George's Theatre, Great Yarmouth
Book via venues. Tickets Pay what you want, £15, £10, £5, £3
On The Beach is an intimate and interactive sensory experience for 6–8 people living with dementia and their carers. Join us for a day in the life of a working beach, as we explore its myths, magic, perils and ever-changing beauty through dance, music and visual storytelling. On The Beach is entirely non-verbal. As such, it can be enjoyed by d/Deaf audiences and those with English as a second language.
DANCE
A FILM BY DAN CANHAM, WITH KATIE BOAG, ASH GOOSEY AND BENJI BOWER
Fenland Elegy
Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 May, 11am-4pm, drop ins
The Gallery, The Forum
FREE, no booking required
A short and stirring dance film shot at sunset in the Fens of East Anglia, Fenland Elegy combines heart-rending symphonic music with the immense technical and expressive form of Krump dance to lament the passing of a landscape.
RAGROOF TEA DANCES
The legendary Ragroof Tea Dances return to the beautiful Adnams Spiegeltent – expect vintage music, glamorous costumes, and glorious dance displays. Enjoy a tipple at the bar, or tea and a delicious Jarrolds scone!
The Strawberry Ball
Saturday 18 May, 11am
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £18 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
Put on your fanciest frocks and join us to dance whimsical waltzes and feathery foxtrots.
The Coconut Club
Sunday 19 May, 11am
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £18 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
A tropical cocktail of vintage Latin favourites, from sizzling Sambas and sexy Salsas to melodic Mambos and merry Merengues.
XENIA AIDONOPOULOU
Skydiver
Wednesday 22 & Thursday 23 May, 11.30am & 1.30pm
The Garage
Tickets £11 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50 | Group of 4 £30
Take your little ones on a magical journey with Skydiver and experience how movement, sound and stunning visuals bring whimsical characters to life in an enchanting encounter in the skies.
Age recommendation 3-5 years
RACHEL NÍ BHRAONAÍN
MOSH
Thursday 23 - Saturday 25 May, 7.30pm
Epic Studios
Tickets £20 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
MOSH is a high-octane dance, theatre and music show about the culture of the mosh pit. Consisting of five dancers, one drummer, humour, heart, and a hell of a lot of headbanging, this show is like nothing you’ve ever seen before.
Ages 12+
MUSIC
GUILDHALL SESSIONS
Saturday 11, Sunday 12, Saturday 25 & Sunday 26 May, 11am-4pm drop in
Norwich Guildhall
FREE
Six new music films screened in Norwich Guildhall. Over 600 years the building has been home to the centre of city government, a jail and courthouse and is now home to the Festival. This history inspired commissions by Stick in the Wheel, Laura Cannell, Rakhi Singh, Tamsin Elliott, Una Lee and Sian Croose. The works are also available to view online, and to buy as a limited-edition CD or download.
The showing on 11 May and 12 May will take place up a flight of stairs.
AURORA ORCHESTRA
Eroica by Heart
Saturday 11 May, 6pm & 8pm
Norwich Cathedral
Tickets £27 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
Aurora Orchestra present a unique performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3. Performed entirely from memory and stripped of music stands, get up close and personal in the atmospheric surrounds of Norwich Cathedral.
LAURA CANNELL
Antiphony of the Trees
Sunday 12 May, 7.45pm
Norwich Cathedral
Tickets £16 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
Norfolk’s own Laura Cannell presents the live version of her seventh solo album Antiphony of the Trees. Inspired by birdsong, the album has been transformed into a live project. Armed with electronics and an armful of recorders, she creates a sublime sonic folk experiment not to be missed.
ASHLEY GROTE
Night Pipes: Olivier Messiaen Organ Works
Sunday 12 May, 9pm
Norwich Cathedral
Tickets £10 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
A night-time meditation featuring music by Olivier Messiaen, performed on the newly refurbished organ of Norwich Cathedral. Master of Music, Ashley Grote, plays three towering works of the organ repertoire, displaying the full range of the instrument, from the quietest whisper to the mightiest thunder.
CHAOS STRING QUARTET
Tuesday 14 May, 1pm
Octagon Chapel
Tickets £17, £15 | U18/YoungNNF Free
Founded in 2019 on the principles of chaos in the arts, science, and philosophy, the Chaos String Quartet has rapidly established itself on the international music scene and has won numerous awards at some of the most prestigious international competitions.
Luigi Boccherini String Quartet Op. 2 No. 1
György Kurtág Officium Breve
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart String Quartet No. 22, KV 589
MICHAEL PANDYA AND KEVAL SHAH
Tuesday 14 May, 7pm
Octagon Chapel
Tickets £17, £15 | U18/YoungNNF Free
Michael Pandya is a pianist and conductor increasingly sought after across Europe. Keval Shah has been recognised for the artistic and intellectual originality of his playing. These two rising collaborative pianists take to the Octagon stage for an evening of beautiful piano duets with a lively programme including Chopin, Brahms and Erik Satie.
GENEVA LEWIS
New Zealand born violinist, Geneva Lewis, makes a welcome return for a trio of county-wide concerts at this year’s Festival. Following her 2023 appearance, this remarkable violinist has made her BBC Proms debut and worked with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Wednesday 15 May, 1pm, Octagon Chapel
Tickets £17, £15 | U18/YoungNNF Free
Johan Goerg Pisendel Sonata in A Minor
Reena Esmail Darshan
Cheryl Frances-Hoad Suite No. 1
Andrew Norman Sabina
Eugène Ysaÿe Sonata No. 5 for Solo Violin
Thursday 16 May, 1pm, Sheringham Little Theatre
Friday 17 May, 1pm, The Corn Hall, Diss
Tickets £17, £15 | U18/YoungNNF Free
Johann Sebastian Bach Partita for violin No.3 in E major, BWV 1006.1
Reena Esmail Darshan
Andrew Norman Sabina
Eugène Ysaÿe Sonata for Solo Violin, op.27, No.5
MICHAEL PANDYA AND ANDREW HAMILTON
Wednesday 15 May, 7pm
Octagon Chapel
Tickets £17, £15 | U18/YoungNNF Free
In Michael Pandya’s second concert, he is joined by British baritone, Andrew Hamilton. Part of the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, Andrew is an enthusiastic interpreter of song with an astonishing wealth of expression. The programme includes work by Debussy, Strauss and Rachmaninov.
NORFOLK FOLKLORE SOCIETY & LAURA CANNELL
Dark Tales from the Guildhall
Wednesday 15 May, 7pm
Norwich Guildhall
Tickets £10 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
In a wonderfully atmospheric setting, the Norfolk Folklore Society and performer Laura Cannell will join to create a magical night filled with tales of ghosts, witchcraft, secret tunnels and dreadful murders linked to Norwich’s Guildhall, a distinctive building which has been at the heart of the Fine City for centuries.
Ages 16+
THE BAND STAND
Thursday 16 - Sunday 19 May | Thursday 23 - Sunday 26 May
Festival Gardens
FREE
Beautiful evenings of alfresco tunes, The Band Stand returns with the best young music-makers bringing you beats to sink your beer to. Full line-up to be announced at nnfestival.org.uk.
HINAKO OMORI
“Stillness, Softness…” for piano, strings and harp
Thursday 16 May, 8pm
St Peter Mancroft
Tickets £22, £16, £10 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
Japanese composer Hinako Omori presents new arrangements of songs from recent album Stillness, Softness... Originally written for synthesizers, these reimagined versions explore the boundaries between natural and synthesized sound worlds, on themes of dreams versus reality, solitude, and reconnecting with and finding peace within ourselves.
COMPLINE BY CANDLELIGHT
Friday 17 May, 9pm
Norwich Cathedral
FREE, no booking required
The Girl Choristers, Lay Clerks and Choral Scholars of Norwich Cathedral Choir sing the ancient monastic office of night prayer in the stunning candlelit surroundings of Norwich Cathedral.
PONGO
Friday 17 May, 10pm
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £17 (£20 on the door) | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
The Queen of Kuduro, Pongo mixes genres and languages, drawing from her Angolan and Portuguese roots. Connecting Kuduro to Afrobeats, Favela Funk or even Afrofunk, Pongo sets the tone for her debut upcoming project ‘SAKIDILA’: powerful and addictive party and club music.
268 YEARS OF REVERB
Composed by Jonny Greenwood | Performed by James McVinnie and Eliza McCarthy
Saturday 18 May, 2pm
Octagon Chapel
Full 8 hours £50 (on the day £60) | 1 hour 50 minute time slots £20 (on the day £25) | U18/YoungNNF £7.50 (available for 1 hour 50 minutes only)
268 years of reverb was written to summon all the music, voices and sounds that have ever filled the air and soaked into the walls of a room: to shake or coax them out of the fabric of the building, so they can be heard again - distilled and concentrated into eight hours.
KING CREOSOTE
Saturday 18 May, 8pm
Norwich Cathedral
Tickets £27, £25, £17, £10 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
Kenny Anderson (AKA King Creosote) has developed a reputation for his goosebump-inducing brand of folk-pop. Lyrics both ethereal and everyday are plotted against kaleidoscopic musical terrain that explores everything from accordions to vibraphones.
GIRL RAY
Saturday 18 May, 10pm
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £17 (£20 on the door) | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
One of the most exhilarating and original pop bands around, Girl Ray look back to the post-disco dancefloors of the early eighties. Their latest album Prestige is a life affirming celebration of the transformative power of pop music at its most glorious.
LAURA CANNELL
Modern Ritual
Sunday 19 May, 8.30pm
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £17 (£20 on the door) | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
Modern Ritual brings together a collective of musicians and writers who respond to the idea of what modern ritual means to them. This wonderful evening will transport you to enchanted landscapes with communal tales and song.
BBC INTRODUCING PRESENTS
Band Night
Monday 20 May, 7pm
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £10 (£12 on the day) | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
Watch some of the most exciting up-and-coming artists from Norfolk’s thriving music scene, as they take to the Adnams Spiegeltent stage. Headlined by Floral Image, Band Night features some of the most promising local talent, in a night programmed by BBC Introducing.
KARINE POLWART
Light Through the Window
Tuesday 21 May, 10pm
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £17 (£20 on the day) | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
Karine Polwart is a multi-award-winning Scottish songwriter, folk singer and storyteller. Her songs evoke a richness of place, hidden histories, scientific curiosity and folklore. She conjures the beauty and magic, the sorrow and complexity of the world out of the corner of her eye, with lyricism and tenderness.
CHAMBER CHOIR IRELAND
Wednesday 22 May, 7.30pm
Cathedral of St John the Baptist
Tickets £25, £20, £15, £10 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
The dazzling voices of Ireland’s national chamber choir bring the best of contemporary choral music - featuring Arvo Pärt’s sublime O Holy Father Nicholas; a ‘cacophony of private secrets’ in Cassandra Miller’s The City, Full of People; eccentric Irish-ness in David Fennessy’s chOirland; and Caroline Shaw’s origami-inspired How to Fold the Wind.
NUBIYAN TWIST
Wednesday 22 May, 10pm
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £17 (£20 on the day) | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
A blend of virtuosic players, skilled producers and inspired composers join forces to create a unique, infectious sound drawing on jazz, hip-hop, afrobeat, dancehall, soul, reggae and dance music. Expect ultra-tight musicianship and a powerful 9-piece, big band sound.
MAHAN ESFAHANI
Thursday 23 May, 8pm
Octagon Chapel
Tickets £22, £18 | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
Mahan Esfahani kicks off his residency with a solo programme featuring two warhorses of the harpsichord repertoire by Rameau and Buxtehude. Kaija Saariaho’s Jardin Secret II combines harpsichord and electronics, and a new work by Marcus Rock receives its world premiere.
STICK IN THE WHEEL
Thursday 23 May, 10pm
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £17 (£20 on the day) | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
This radical East London duo are known for their intense live shows exploring the raw holler of folk, electronica, spoken word and intricate rustic dobro guitar. Centuries-old work songs are fused with contemporary electronica and speak on issues of class with a razor-sharp authenticity.
MAHAN ESFAHANI
Whispered Spells
Friday 24 May, Every 15 minutes between 2pm-3.45pm & 5pm-6.45pm
Secret City Centre Venue
Tickets £5
Mahan Esfahani plays the simple yet seductive European keyboard instrument, the clavichord. In a secret location to be revealed, tiny audiences will be treated to intimate, ten-minute recitals of music, specially curated by Esfahani for his Festival residency.
APARTMENT HOUSE
Friday 24 May, 8pm
Octagon Chapel
Tickets £20, £17 | U18/YoungNNF Free
Apartment House present The Marble Index, the seminal postgothic, harmonium-sick 1968 album by Nico and John Cale, featuring Francesca Fargion as vocalist, alongside a new work for cello and ensemble by Cassandra Miller.
LAURA MISCH
Friday 24 May, 10pm
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £17 (£20 on the day) | U18/YoungNNF £7.50
Laura Misch is a saxophonist, vocalist and composer whose work bridges the worlds of electronica and jazz. Her brilliantly inventive arrangements and lush textured sounds are woven through with beautiful folk-esque vocals, to provide a wonderful leftfield pop sound.
BACH: MAHAN ESFAHANI & BRITTEN SINFONIA
Saturday 25 May, 7.30pm
St Peter Mancroft
Tickets £40, £30, £22, £15 | U18/YoungNNF Free
The twenty-first century’s leading champion of the harpsichord, Mahan Esfahani returns to Norfolk & Norwich Festival. Joined by the innovative and vital Britten Sinfonia, they perform a programme of uplifting and era-defining concertos by Bach.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Orchestral Suite No. 2 BWV 1067
Keyboard Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052
Keyboard Concerto in E major, BWV 1053
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 BWV 1050
Click here for images
BAQUE LUAR
Saturday 25 May, 10pm
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £17 (£20 on the day) | U18/Young NNF £7.50
Baque Luar, meaning ‘Moonlit Beat’, are a collective of diverse female and non-binary vocalists and percussionists, united by their love of Brazilian and Afro Brazilian music. The group combines original multivocal compositions and arrangements with powerful percussive grooves. Their music praises nature and reawakens a cultural imagination to care for our living planet and all its inhabitants.
LITERATURE
BOOK OF THETFORD BOOK LAUNCH
Thursday 16 May, 2pm
The Carnegie, Thetford
Tickets £5
Join us in celebrating the Book of Thetford! Created by children, aged 8-11, from Thetford schools in collaboration with artists Andy Field and Beckie Darlington. Part fictional imagining, part actual guidebook, the book is an opportunity for adults to see and experience a place through the eyes of some of its youngest inhabitants.
WANDERING WORDS
Throughout the Festival
FREE, no booking required
Experience Norwich through fresh eyes and make discoveries about its past, present and future by embarking on a self-guided literary walking trail of the city.
Visit nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/wandering-words to download the map. Alternatively, pick up a physical copy at the Festival Box Office.
PICTURE BOOK ADVENTURES
with Kate Read
Friday 24 May, 10.30am
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £5 per child, adults free
Kickstart your day with an energising interactive storytelling session! Children’s author and illustrator Kate Read invites you to join her on a colourful journey through the natural world. There will be counting, singing and craft activities to enjoy.
Suitable for families with children up to seven years old.
POETRY WORKSHOP: GIVING PLACE A VOICE
with Elizabeth Lewis Williams
Friday 24 May, 11am-1pm
National Centre for Writing Dragon Hall
Tickets £35 | Concessions £25
How do you give a place a voice? In this relaxed poetry workshop, you will consider the spirit of place and how the landscapes and settlements deeply etched in our minds can be given a voice to speak. How might new voices harness poetry to represent these places anew?
Ages 18+
DARING TO DREAM
with Ferdia Lennon & Claire Pollard
Friday 24 May, 3pm
National Centre for Writing Dragon Hall
Tickets £10 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
When the stakes are high and reality is shrouded in darkness, how can storytelling help us to carry on? Connecting our present moment to ancient history and folklore, Ferdia Lennon and Clare Pollard discuss how their historical fiction explores themes of belonging, conflict, truth and myth.
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US
with Carys Davies & Jon McGregor
Friday 24 May, 6pm
National Centre for Writing Dragon Hall
Tickets £10 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
Multi-award-winning novelists Carys Davies and Jon McGregor reflect on the human impulse to connect and tell our stories – even when words fail us. Through the prism of Davies’ latest novel, Clear, they will explore solitary landscapes, hidden selves and the intricacies of language.
POEMS AS FRIENDS
Featuring Roy McFarlane & Hannah Jane Walker
Saturday 25 May, 10am
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £10 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
Sit back, relax and be taken on a journey in the company of poems by Dylan Thomas, Carol Ann Duffy, Katherine Mansfield, Seamus Heaney, and many more. A warm and uplifting morning event featuring Roy McFarlane and Hannah Jane Walker, who will share readings and insights on the life-changing power of poems as companions.
BUILD A COMMUNITY PICTURE BOOK
Saturday 25 & Sunday 26 May, 10-11am & 1-2pm
National Centre for Writing Dragon Hall
FREE, please book in advance
We’re making a picture book! Can you help? Draw, cut and stick a page for our community book inspired by Dragon Hall and the people who have lived and worked here over hundreds of years. There will also be activity packs for you to take home.
Ages 5-11 years
Limited spaces available, please book a place for your child in advance. One accompanying adult is permitted per child (ticket for adult not required)
WRITING CONFLICT IN FICTION
with Michael Donkor
Saturday 25 May, 10am-12pm
National Centre for Writing Dragon Hall
Tickets £35 | Concessions £25
Bring your characters to life and propel your story forward by learning how to create conflict in your fiction writing. Learn tips and trips from Michael Donkor, author of Hold (shortlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize) and Grow Where They Fall.
Ages 18+
HARRIET MARTINEAU LECTURE
with Val McDermid
Saturday 25 May, 12.30pm
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £12 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
The Harriet Martineau Lecture celebrates the legacy of this remarkable, world-changing woman by inviting globally renowned radical speakers to respond to her life and work. This year’s lecture will be delivered by one of the UK’s most accomplished and respected novelists, Val McDermid.
PAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
Saturday 25 May, 2pm
The Plantation Garden
£2 donation on entry
Our global shared reading event returns! Pick a book, bring a cool drink and turn off your phone for a well-deserved detox read in the beautiful surroundings of The Plantation Garden. Simultaneous events will be taking place in UNESCO Cities of Literature across the world.
A SIGN OF HER OWN
with Sarah Marsh
Saturday 25 May, 3pm
National Centre for Writing Dragon Hall
Tickets £10 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
A Sign of Her Own is a mesmerising tale of historical fiction that explores the legacy of the telephone. It is an empowering story of Ellen’s journey towards finding her authentic voice and accepting her deaf identity, and casts new light on the inventor and the invention that would forever change how we communicate.
This event will be BSL interpreted.
BOOK BINDING
with Judith Ellis
Saturday 25 May, 3pm-4.30pm
National Centre for Writing Dragon Hall
Tickets £15
Try your hand at bookbinding in this practical session led by writer and professional bookbinder Judith Ellis. Whether you’re a zine maker, a poet or you dabble in creative nonfiction, anyone can learn how to turn their work into a simple but beautiful binding.
Ages 18+
GROW WHERE THEY FALL
with Michael Donkor & Santanu Bhattacharya
Saturday 25 May, 5.30pm
National Centre for Writing Dragon Hall
Tickets £10 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
Two intelligent and compassionate novelists come together to discuss the themes of past lives and blossoming identities in their fiction. Michael Donkor (Hold, Grow Where They Fall) and Santanu Bhattacharya (One Small Voice) will explore coming of age voices, queer and racial identities, and how familial ties and childhood events can affect the adult you become.
BURNT TOAST
Late Night Open Mic Poetry
Saturday 25 May, 8pm
National Centre for Writing Dragon Hall
Tickets £10 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
TOAST, the team behind Norfolk’s biggest regular poetry night, is mixing things up with an after-hours slam poetry open mic! Grab a slot, show off your best work, and help us to celebrate East Anglia as a hotbed of creative talent. Includes a headline set from Jasmine Gardosi.
CITY OF LITERATURE PUBLISHING FAIR
Sunday 26 May, 10am-4pm
National Centre for Writing Dragon Hall
FREE, no booking required
From hardbacks to zines and everything in-between — discover the vibrant publishing culture of the East of England at our popular biannual publishing fair!
Meet the publishers, browse, and purchase their work, and take part in a series of interesting talks throughout the day.
UPROOTED
with Marchelle Farrell & Jessica J. Lee
Sunday 26 May, 10.30am
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £10 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
What is home? What can nature teach us about belonging, and how can we plant new roots when we feel out of place? Join Marchelle Farrell and Jessica J. Lee for a hopeful and healing discussion on finding a sense of home through plants and reconnecting to the land.
BOOK COVER DESIGN
with Pam Smy
Sunday 26 May, 11am-12.30pm
National Centre for Writing Dragon Hall
Tickets £15
Try your hand at designing a book cover at this practical workshop led by illustrator and lecturer, Pam Smy. Explore issues around page layout and cover design for books of all ages and genres, then practise collage techniques.
Ages 18+
NATURE WRITING WORKSHOP: INNER LANDSCAPES
with Marchelle Farrell
Sunday 26 May, 2pm-4pm
National Centre for Writing Dragon Hall
Tickets £35 | Concessions £25
What does it mean to be in intimate relationship with the landscape? Therapist, writer and gardener Marchelle Farrell leads a relaxed creative writing session where you are encouraged to explore the relationship between our inner and outer worlds. Take time out to notice our everyday landscapes and the ways they shape us, then use this experience to reshape and reimagine the stories we tell ourselves through writing.
Ages 18+
SPOKEN WORD
TOAST
at the Festival Speak Easy
Tuesday 21 May, 4.30pm Harry Baker, 6pm Dean Atta
Wednesday 22 May, 4.30pm Kate Fox, 6pm Luke Kennard
Thursday 23 May, 4.30pm Salena Godden, 6pm Nikita Gill
Festival Gardens
Tickets £10 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
TOAST is poetry, but not as you know it. Norfolk’s biggest poetry night is taking over the Festival Speak Easy for three days of poetry, spoken word, storytelling, and performance. Funny, emotional and entertaining, TOAST redefines what poetry is and can be.
Ages: 14+
LUKE WRIGHT’S SILVER JUBILEE
Friday 24 May, 5pm
Adnams Spiegeltent
Tickets £16 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
Luke Wright tries to celebrate 25 years of service on the literary frontline but ends up taking a deep dive into himself and the England that raised him. Big glittering showpieces alongside tender tear-jerkers on class, excessive consumption, love and adoption.
This performance will be BSL interpreted.
FOOD
FEAST FROM THE EAST
with Chef Alex Firman
Friday 17 & Saturday 18 May & Friday 24 & Saturday 25 May, Sittings at 6pm & 8.30pm
Festival Gardens
£40 per person
Chef, Alex Firman hosts a special Festival dining experience in the Festival Speak Easy. A delicious three course vegetarian menu curated with the finest seasonal ingredients procured from Norfolk growers, farmers and makers. Further information at nnfestival.org.uk
VISUAL ARTS
DANIEL & CLARA
The Lost Estate
Saturday 20 January 2024 - Sunday 12 January 2025
Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery
Standard museum admission
The Lost Estate is a new photographic series by Daniel & Clara created in response to the works of the Norwich School of Artists. The series explores the relationship between humans and the natural world through imagined narratives, taking place in the gardens of a country estate.
HOLDING SPACE
From Saturday 3 February
Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery
Standard museum admission
Holding Space brings together works from Norwich Castle’s modern and contemporary art collection. Works by Michael Andrews and Bruce Lacey are displayed alongside major new acquisitions by contemporary artists including Beatrice Gibson, Ibrahim Mahama and Florence Peake.
THE TRUTH SEASON
Sainsbury Centre
Saturday 17 February - Sunday 20 October
Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery
For ticket information visit sainsburycentre.ac.uk
During their new season What is Truth?, the Sainsbury Centre will investigate how we can know what is true in the world around us through a series of fascinating, interlinked exhibitions. Against the backdrop of fake news, elaborate scams, and the burgeoning presence of Artificial Intelligence, ponder whether we are experiencing a time when increasingly sophisticated technology can distort reality and diminish our own sense of authenticity. The dynamic 2024 programme consists of four key, interlinked exhibitions:
In Event of Moon Disaster
Saturday 17 February - Sunday 4 August
Liquid Gender
Saturday 17 February - Sunday 4 August
Jeffrey Gibson - I Can Choose
Saturday 24 February - Sunday 4 August
The Camera Never Lies: Challenging Images Through the Incite Project
Saturday 18 May - Sunday 20 October
ART FOR THE ENVIRONMENT: ARTISTS FROM AER INTERNATIONAL RESIDENCY PROGRAMME
Saturday 16 March - Saturday 8 June
GroundWork Gallery, King's Lynn
FREE, no booking required
Art for the Environment showcases some of the most exciting artists from University of the Arts London, drawing attention to our fragile planet. Using materials from nature and a range of media each piece is concentrating on environmental sustainability and biodiversity.
ZAKIYA MACKENZIE, TIITU TAKALO & WE LIVE HERE
On Our Doorsteps
Friday 10 May - Sunday 9 June
Sweet Briar Marshes Nature Reserve
FREE, no booking required
Explore a wilderness in the city. Bristol-based writer Zakiya Mackenzie and Finnish graphic novelist Tiitu Takalo unearth the stories of those who love Sweet Briar Marshes in a series of newly commissioned artworks, but you’ll need to get out there to find them. Created in collaboration with local people and Norfolk Wildlife Trust, On Our Doorsteps is part of a nationwide project exploring the relationship between urban communities and the green spaces around us.
See nnfestival.org.uk for location details.
OUTPOST AT 20
Thursday 18 April - Thursday 20 June
OUTPOST Gallery
Free, no booking required
OUTPOST at 20 celebrates 20 years of East Anglia’s oldest artist-led space. This 10-week exhibition revisits the 165 exhibitions, diverse residencies, events, and studio activity from the last 2 decades.
ANTONY GORMLEY
Time Horizon
Sunday 21 April - Thursday 31 October
Houghton Hall
For ticket information see houghtonhall.com
Time Horizon, one of Antony Gormley’s most spectacular large-scale installations, is being shown at Houghton Hall. The show features 100 life-size sculptures installed at the same datum level – some partially buried, some on columns – to create a single horizontal plane across the 300-acre parkland.
FABRICATE: A TECHNICIANS’ SHOWCASE
Tuesday 7 May - Saturday 8 June
East Gallery, Norwich University of the Arts
FREE, no booking required
A fabulous mix of digital and physical, traditional and cutting-edge artworks made by the technicians at Norwich University of the Arts.
EMILY STAPLETON JEFFERIS
Littoral: A Ceramic Installation
Friday 10 - Sunday 19 May
The Potters Arms
FREE
Taking coastal rock pools as a starting point, Emily Stapleton Jefferis dives into their fractal worlds; discovering the intricate relationships that lie within, looping and folding back on themselves. Their life cycles, metamorphoses and symbioses serve as a lesson on the limitations of individualism, and inspiration for this ceramic installation.
SUSANNAH HEWLETT
TV Dinners
Saturday 18 May - Sunday 9 June
PrimeYarc, Great Yarmouth
FREE, no booking required
Susannah Hewlett’s work mixes live performance, video, comedy, theatre and sound. TV Dinnersbrings together some of her work from the last 20 years - a buffet selection of her finest cold cuts; a platter of audio and televisual highlights and be-wigged character performance. Not to be missed!
Susannah will be giving a talk about her work and the exhibition at 4pm on Saturday 18 May.
ROGER ACKLING
Sunlight
Saturday 18 May - Sunday 22 September
Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery
Standard museum admission
Sunlight is the first survey of the work of British artist Roger Ackling. The exhibition reveals the breadth of Ackling’s practice, from early experiments with a lens to the works made in the final years of his life. Sunlight includes works not previously exhibited in the UK.
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF THE SAINSBURY INSTITUTE: FROM NARA TO NORWICH
Monday 20 May - Saturday 25 May
The Atrium, The Forum
FREE, no booking required
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, this special exhibition explores their archaeology and heritage projects – featuring a 16m replica scroll painting from the medieval Buddhist temple of Hasedera in Japan. On Saturday 25 May there will be performances of chanting at the scroll. Full details to be announced at nnfestival.org.uk.
MAGDALENE ODUNDO
Sunday 12 May - Sunday 29 September
Houghton Hall
For ticket information see houghtonhall.com
One of the world’s most revered ceramic artists, Dame Magdalene Odundo, presents an exhibition of sculptures made and sited in response to the state rooms at Houghton Hall.
TALKS & WORKSHOPS
SENSING TREES
Sunday 12 May, 3pm
GroundWork Gallery, King's Lynn
Tickets £18 | Concessions £16
Join an interactive listening and walking event led by sound artist Beth Robertson and composer Stevie Wishart.
LITTORAL WORKSHOP
Tuesday 14 May, 6pm | Wednesday 15 May, 10am
The Potters Arms
Tickets £40 | Concessions £20
Join artist Emily Stapleton-Jefferis in this 3-hour workshop. Following her process, you’ll make your own drawings and ceramic sculpture inspired by coastal rock pools.
Ages 8+
MALI MORRIS RA, PAINTER TALKS ABOUT HER WORK
Wednesday 15 May, 7pm
Norwich School Blake Studio
Tickets £10 | U18/Young NNF £7.50
British painter Mali Morris’s career stretches back over 50 years. Her experiments with colour, layering and pictorial space have made her one of the most intriguing abstract painters in the UK today.
STREET PARTY
Thursday 16 May, 6pm
OUTPOST Gallery
FREE, no booking required
OUTPOST is throwing a street party to celebrate their 20th birthday. Come along for an evening of guest speakers, art, book stalls and food.
As part of the street party, there will be a double bill film screening, Tenants in Revolt and Zone à Défendre at 7.30pm and 8.15pm.
Tickets £5, £7 with a donation to OUTPOST. Please book in advance.
ON OUR DOORSTEPS: ARTIST LED WALK
Sunday 19 May, 13:00 & 15:00
Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Sweet Briar Marshes
FREE, please book in advance
Join artists Zakiya Mackenzie and Tiitu Takalo with Denzil Dean of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust for a walk around Sweet Briar Marshes Nature Reserve to hunt for the artworks they are presenting across this unique and beautiful landscape. It’s a chance to hear more about the history of the reserve, its amazing biodiversity and its relationship with the local community.
SUSANNAH HEWLETT
The Great British Cack Off
Saturday 25 May, 2pm
Great Yarmouth Marketplace
FREE, no booking required
The ultimate poo making competition using only edible ingredients! A hilarious interactive cacktivity, poopular with all the family! Could you be crowned the next Cack Master? Adults and children, all welcome. All ingredients will be provided (Nut free).