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Autumn 2013 at Warwick Arts Centre

warwick_arts_centre_autumn_portrait.jpgWarwick Arts Centre is the West Midlands’ busiest multi-artform venue, bringing the very best international artists and new works to campus with plenty of offers for staff. This season the Arts Centre launches a vibrant autumn programme of world class performance and artistic adventure, contrasting joyously uplifting shows with journeys into the hearts of darker futures.

Staff offers

Staff can take advantage of a 2 for 1 offer on the first night of each of the shows below – just bring your staff card to the Box Office!

Plays

Contemporary issues are confronted by a programme of plays from the UK’s most important touring theatre companies. George Orwell’s 1984 is brought vividly to life by Headlong Theatre, whilst theatre o provide an adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s state conspiracy novel The Secret Agent, combining elements of music hall and early cinema. Out of Joint Theatre co-present Ciphers, about the web of secrets and lies left behind in the wake of a spy’s death.

Dance

Motionhouse, the Leamington dance company with an international reputation, leads audiences through a mythical underworld with a blend of dance and film in the world premiere of Broken, whilst NOBULUS use an extraordinary mix of breakdance and contemporary dance to tell a cautionary tale of man’s evolution towards an apocalyptic future in Out of the Shadow.

Children

There’s plenty for families to enjoy in the run-up to Christmas. As part of the nationwide Family Arts Festival, children’s favourite Michael Rosen will be performing his new poetry show Centrally Heated Knickers and there’ll be a chance to meet a prehistoric pet in the Danger Seats at the Dinosaur Zoo. The family programme culminates in this year’s Christmas show, the Olivier-nominated Julia Donaldson delight, Room on the Broom.

Music

One of the most recognisable names in the music business, Alison Moyet, will be raising the roof of the Butterworth Hall, and the incredible Paloma Faith joins the Guy Barker Orchestra for a night of symphonic song in a very special performance. The lilting lyrics of Australian singer Sarah Blasko, performance poetry from John Cooper Clarke and an electronic audio-visual feast from Nicolas Jaar & The Joshua Light Show make for diverse points in the programme and there’s even a dose of festive warmth from Kate Rusby, the defining voice of folk, with a seasonal set of classical Christmas carols.

Comedy

In comedy, Doc Brown delivers rhythms and rhymes with some comedy rapping, whilst Alistair McGowan makes a welcome return to the stage with some of the voices in his head. There’s organised mischief from Mark Thomas, who’s up to no good with his show 100 Acts of Minor Dissent, and there’s a brand new show from last year’s runaway success story Chris Ramsey – catch him quickly before he starts filling arenas!

Classical music

There’s classical music too, with intimate chamber concerts from the likes of the English Piano Trio counterbalancing the huge sound of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Alongside regular broadcasts from New York’s Metropolitan Opera, there’s also live opera from Ellen Kent, with the traditionally staged, lavish production of Aida Verdi.

New theatre

As part of a commitment to supporting the creation of new shows, Warwick Arts Centre is also proud to present Bank On It, a site-specific, immersive theatre experience for children. Theatre Rites artistic director Sue Buckmaster took part in Warwick Arts Centre’s This_Is_Tomorrow project, where academics from the University were introduced to artists to kickstart new collaborations on a wide range of topics. After meeting academics from the university’s Economics department, Theatre Rites devised a magical, interactive bank where even the most mundane office equipment comes to life; a hunt for an elusive bank manager designed to get children thinking about resources and what money can and cannot buy. Coventry is the only place you can see Bank On It in the UK after its smash-hit London run, and a new branch of the bank will soon open in a secret city centre location!

The Mead Gallery

The Mead Gallery presents The World Turned Upside Down, a wry and exciting new exhibition curated by Simon Faithfull and Ben Roberts. With over twenty international artists working in film, sculpture, installation art and performance, the exhibition places these works in direct relation to Buster Keaton’s films to show the relationship between slapstick, film, sculpture and performance which continues to resonate today.

Free and live events

In addition to the main programme, Warwick Arts Centre continues with its series of Free & Live events, providing audiences with free and exciting artistic encounters, from live music to informal interviews. This season’s events will include jazz from Interplay, Afro-roots from Two Man Ting and folk-rock from Eli Stone as well as On the Couch chats with Forced Entertainment’s Tim Etchells, Out Of Joint Artistic Director Max Stafford-Clark, actor Mat Fraser and members of theatre company Headlong – all for free!

Find out more online