Leicester’s Curve theatre will showcase the work of leading and emerging East Midlands artists during its third annual Inside Out festival.
More than 10,000 people visited and took part in the last two Inside Outs. The festival takes over unusual spaces in and around the Curve building. It features a diverse range of performances, workshops and events from theatre makers, performers and writers.
One of the highlights will be All Out, a Curve commission from theatre company Common Wealth, on 15 May. Curve affiliate groups including Nupur Arts, Moving Together, 2Funky Arts, Kainé Management, Next Wave and Little Movers will take over the top floor of the neighbouring NCP car park on Rutland Street for a look at the world through the eyes of the people of Leicester.
NT Connections, commissioned by the National Theatre, is a celebration of new writing by leading playwrights for young theatre companies. Curve will host four plays as double bills on 7 and 8 May.
Each play will be performed by a different East Midlands theatre group including Curve Young Company performing I’m Spilling My Heart Out Here by Stacy Gregg, Lincoln Young Company presenting Eclipse by Simon Armitage, North Kesteven School performing Take Away by Jackie Kay and Lutterworth College staging It Snows by Bryony Lavery and Frantic Assembly.
Poet John Berkavitch returns to the festival on 5 and 6 May with a new work, Wrong, which combines poetry, dance and live illustration to tell a story of fatherhood.
Curve artistic director Nikolai Foster said, “last year was my first taste of the Inside Out festival and I was blown away by the scale and ambition of the event.
“We’re proud to collaborate with such a dynamic group of artists and audiences throughout the year. Inside Out provides the perfect opportunity to showcase the industry, celebrating the powerful and original voices emerging from our region.”
Inside Out runs from Thursday 5 May until Sunday 15 May.