Theatre reviews - 22 February 2013

Candoco travel to the past, present and future to celebrate 20 years of bold and unexpected dance works in a triple bill of commissions celebrating dance through time.

From 1983 is the restaging of one of Trisha Brown’s signature works, which confirmed her as a pioneer of contemporary dance.

Set to the contagious Laurie Anderson score Set and Reset/Reset, it’s a joyful work of pure dance.

From the present is French artist Rachid Ouramdane who intertwines strong visuals and striking costumes with unforgettable soundscapes to create Looking Back, an atmospheric piece full of individuality. Rounding off the programme, Matthias Sperling has created This is It, an intimate solo that allows the audience to reflect and focus on every movement detail and indulge in the feeling it evokes.

Candoco will also present a special guest performance of Javier De Frutos’ Studies for C at the Dance Cuts showcase the following day.

This unique event held in partnership with Live at LICA gives opportunities to emerging dance artists to present new and innovative work alongside a range of workshops, performances and panel-led discussions.

Inspired by Tennessee Williams’ Camino Real and set to traditional Mexican Ranchera music by Lila Downs, Studies for C depicts a couple trapped in a stagnating relationship.

Box office: 01524 594151 or www.liveatlica.org.

The Beginning at Lancaster University’s Nuffield Theatre next Wednesday is the second in a trilogy of work inspired by Shakespearean stage directions performed by award-winning writer and performance maker Michael Pinchbeck.

Michael last performed in the Nuffield with both his parents in The Post show Party Show and went on to create The End, a show where he promised never to perform again! Because of this he has invited Nicki Hobday and Ollie Smith to help him remember how it feels to perform for the first time!

So a Midsummer Night’s Dream meets the music of Serge Gainsbourg in a tender love letter to theatre that addresses the unwritten contract between performers and an audience.

Box office: 01524 594151 or www.liveatlica.org.

Small Things presents The Resonance of Seclusion at the Lowry in Salford next Thursday.

In 2000 artist Joash Woodrow left his home in Leeds for the final time to move to a new life in Manchester.

Despite his apparent seclusion Joash had painted and drawn throughout his life, filling the rooms of the normal suburban semi with more than 700 paintings, 3000 drawings and hundreds of books.

The Resonance of Seclusion tells an extraordinary story inspired by one man’s unstoppable drive to create and the equally unstoppable support of his family that made his artistic life a reality. The performances at The Lowry will be supported by an exclusive selection of Woodrow’s work.

Box office: 07941218435 or www.smallthings.org.uk.

Theatre company 20 Stories High present Whole, a gritty, funny and uncompromising new play at the Octagon in Bolton next week.

It explores sexuality, love, death and religion, with urban live music, spoken word and song and has been inspired from the real stories of the young people of Liverpool.

Co-Artistic Director Julia Samuels commented: “About 50 per cent of our Young Actors Company have moved to the UK from Africa, and many hold deep rooted Christian beliefs.

“We saw a story that needed to be told, about identity and sexual politics for young people in the UK today.”

Whole is recommended for ages 13 and over and will be at the Octagon Theatre Bolton from Monday to Friday.

Box office: 01204 520661 or www.octagonbolton.co.uk.

It’s also at the Dukes in Lancaster on Monday, March 25

Box office: 01524 598500 or www.dukes-lancaster.org

And the Contact Theatre in Manchester, March 28

Box office: 0151 274 0600 or www.contactmcr.com

Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre is set to stage the world premiere of Bruntwood Prize winning play Three Birds by Janice Okoh from next Wednesday. The drama of this new play centres on siblings Tiana, Tionne and Tanika, who have found themselves home alone. Tiana’s keeping it all together by taking charge of housework and homework. But Tionne’s experiments are getting stranger and Tanika’s starting to act up. Writer Okoh took the first prize of £16,000 when Three Birds won the 2011 Bruntwood Prize.

She was born and raised and still lives in South East London and turned to playwriting after a background in law and a career in the city.

Three Birds is her second full-length play for theatre but she has also had work produced for radio.