Search
Close this search box.
We use cookies to deliver the best experience on our website. By using our website, you agree to use of cookies.  Learn more.

Award-winning Hull theatre company Middle Child announce 2023 programme

CATEGORIES
TAGS

Share:

Award-winning Hull theatre company Middle Child have today announced their artistic programme for the year ahead, featuring a national tour and London transfer of a new play, the return of panto, two scratch nights showcasing work by three new writers and extensive development opportunities.

Middle Child kick-off with the premiere of Modest at Hull Truck Theatre, an electrifying new drag king cabaret-inspired play about Victorian artist Elizabeth Thompson. The show is produced in collaboration with Milk Presents, with support from the National Theatre’s Generate programme.

Penned by Hull writer Ellen Brammar, with music by Rachel Barnes, Modest tells the story of the artist who fell two votes short of becoming the first woman elected to the Royal Academy, in 1879.

See Modest in Hull from 23-27 May before it heads on tour to Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Ipswich, Scarborough, finishing with a two-week run in London at the Kiln Theatre.

The people’s panto, as chosen by Hull audiences, returns to Social on Humber Street at Christmas with Red Riding Hood. Expect an anarchic, rock’n’roll take on the classic fairy tale, with tickets going on-sale for performances from 21-30 December on Tuesday 4 April. In a first for Middle Child, the panto will also go on tour around Hull in February 2024 in partnership with Back to Ours.

A year-long project with the residents of Gipsyville, commissioned by Absolutely Cultured, culminates with a free outdoor performance of This One’s For Us on Saturday 3 June. Written by Rachael Abbey, this sparky and uplifting show brings together protest and celebration in the heart of the community.

Out Loud, a scratch night for new writing produced in association with Silent Uproar, returns in July following its first time out with Casino at the Humber Street Gallery a year ago. This year the two companies present a double header over three nights at Middle Child’s rehearsal space in the Old Town from 27-29 July, with Shit Life Crisis by Olivia Hannah and 1988 by Hannah Scorer. A second edition follows in October with Cuckoo by Chris Pearson. Both Hannah Scorer and Chris Pearson came through Middle Child’s Writers’ Group, while Olivia Hannah has been developed through Silent Uproar’s Making Trouble programme.

Elsewhere in the city, young people from the Warren Youth Project will see scripts, inspired by ideas they shared in a series of creative writing workshops about mental health, staged for the first time in Three Minute Monologues at Freedom Festival, funded by Comic Relief.

The Middle Child Theatre Library, featuring over 2,000 scripts and reference books free-to-borrow to residents of Hull, continues to grow and further comes to life with the start of a monthly Book Club and series of regular Library Talks discussions, about hot topics in the theatre industry and wider world.

Take Your Seat is a series of fully funded group excursions to see productions of exciting new writing at Hull Truck Theatre and discuss it over coffee the following day, starting with Too Much World At Once in April.

Elsewhere in Middle Child’s development programme, the annual Writers’ Group returns in the autumn, with introduction to playwriting workshops led by Hull playwright Tom Wells leading up to a first-time sharing of scenes in January 2024.

The ever-popular Acting Gym is also back, with a focus on monologues for auditions providing performers with a place to flex their acting muscles in-between jobs, while 1:1 Script Support for writers continues, with literary manager Matthew May.

Middle Child’s creative hub at Bond 31 on High Street in Hull, featuring a rehearsal space, writing room and hot desking space, remains free to use, subject to availability, throughout the year. The company are already slated to welcome local artists into their space, including Belle Streeton and Jamie Potter with an R&D project about pirate radio in Hull, Jack Chamberlain with an R&D project about VR and AR in performance and the NYAT Youth Theatre every Monday afternoon.

Middle Child also continue to advocate for improving working conditions in theatre by implementing a four-day week. The next 12 months will also see the company pilot a new “financial access rider” scheme with Classroom, asking the freelancers they work with what adjustments they can make around payment schedules, to make theatre more accessible to people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Artistic director, Paul Smith, said: “We’re all so excited to launch our new season of shows, artist development opportunities and community projects.

“It’s shaping up to be a big year for Middle Child and we can’t wait to bring ambitious new work to life and theatre to new audiences across the country.

“We’re delighted to have announced our partnership with the brilliant Kiln Theatre, bringing the drag king swagger of Modest to Kilburn this summer.

“There are exciting partnerships throughout the next twelve months, including with local pals The Warren, Back To Ours, Hull Truck Theatre and Freedom Festival, while we will also be working nationally with some of the country’s best venues and most exciting artists.

“In addition to our annual programme, we continue to reshape how we do things – led by our move to a four-day week following a successful pilot.

“We know first-hand that the theatre industry can be a demanding and often unsustainable workplace. By moving to a four-day week, we hope to create a more sustainable and equitable workplace for everyone we work with.

“Today we talk the big talk, but from tomorrow we start putting our plan into action and doing everything we can to make sure everyone’s story can be told and heard, breaking down barriers to accessing theatre for all.”

For more information about Middle Child and their programme, including a blog post about four-day working and dates and ticket details for shows, see their website: www.middlechildtheatre.co.uk

Hull news, events & special offers

Our weekly digest rounds up the best things happening around Hull & East Yorkshire.

Featured

Got something to share?

We want to share everything positive that’s going on around Hull. We have loads of great ways to share your stuff:
Click the button above or email us at events@hullwhatson.com
*Registration required
Featured Hull Events
Unmissable offers!
Places you should visit

Hull news, events & offers by email

Stay up to date on everything good happening locally!