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Contacting the World 2008@Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts & Unity Theatre

15/ 7/2008

CONTACTING The World is Manchester based Contact Theatre’s revolutionary international project for young and emerging artists redefining the way in which theatre is created on the global stage.

Every two-years, 12 of the world’s freshest new theatre companies are twinned to form six pairings. With the guidance of Contact, they engage in a year long exchange - overcoming their cultural and geographical distances to create brand new pieces of cutting-edge theatre.

For one week between Sunday 27July to Saturday 2 August, this year’s festival will be leaving its Manchester home to take over Liverpool city centre - for the very first time!

As one of the main commissions for Liverpool’s 2008 Capital of Culture year, 150 artists from around the world will arrive in the city for a week of explosive performances, workshops, and street theatre.

With four workshops a day, daily matinee performances, and double-bill premieres every evening, this year’s festival will deliver an unparalleled showcase of true international talent.

On the first day alone you can attend a workshop from Zambia and Poland, an afternoon performance from Mumbai, before evening shows from Manchester and Brazil.

Climaxing on 2nd August, Contacting The World 08 will join forces with Brouhaha - Liverpool’s pioneering international arts organisation – to create the largest single carnival performance in the UK.

Two-thousand costumed participants, acrobats, musicians, circus performers and street theatre groups will collaborate with artists from all over the world in a carnival event that will go through Liverpool.

The main venues are Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) and the Unity Theatre, but expect the city to come to life as the performers also spill out onto the streets and perform around ‘the suitcases’ at Hope Street.

Going beyond the "feel-good" factor of many young people’s projects, Contacting The World encourages its participants to ask difficult questions about the complexities, challenges, and excitements of the global community.

Said Contact’s artistic director, John McGrath: "We’re incredibly proud to be part of Liverpool’s celebrations. Liverpool’s commitment to young and emerging artists is an important part of the 2008 celebrations and what better way to showcase this by inviting some of the world’s most innovative young artists to the city."