For the fourth year, the highlights of Birmingham’s BE Festival will be touring the UK and Madrid, introducing three of Europe’s “most exciting, emerging theatre companies” to UK and Spanish audiences.
BE Festival places “a strong emphasis on collaboration, participation and exchange” and each of the pieces has been selected for “its capacity to transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries”.
All performances throughout the tour will conclude with post-show discussions. There will be an extended dinner interval with the performers in Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.
Hungarian Milaìn Uìjvaìri won the BE Festival award for best individual performer for his role in Radioballet’s From the Waltz to the Mambo.
From Austria, Julia Schwarzbach’s Loops and Breaks puts the audience in the spotlight as she instructs them with phrases and language specific to each venue, inspired by overheard conversations in each area.
Winner of the ACT Arriaga international touring prize, Waiting by Mokhallad Rasem from Belgium/Iraq is a meditation through film, movement, art and sound on the human experience of waiting.
BE Festival co-director Miguel Oyarzun said, “These three shows were all huge hits with this year’s crowd in Birmingham and were recognized by the jury.
“We’re delighted that once again the tour will start at the Barbican and that audiences across the UK and Spain will have the chance to sample some of the best new theatre being made on the continent.
“We’re especially pleased to have four new partners as part of this year’s tour: Circomedia in Bristol, HOME in Manchester, the Atkinson in Southport and the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.”
The tour starts at the Barbican from 8 until 11 October and continues in The Door at Birmingham REP on 13 and 14 October, Bath Spa University on 15 October, Circomedia, Bristol on 16 October, HOME, Manchester on 17 and 18 October, Slung Low’s Hub, Leeds on 19 October, Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury on 21 and 22 October; Spain from 24 October until 2 November; The Atkinson, Southport on 4 November, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Wales on 5 November, Caedmon Hall, Gateshead on 7 November and Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh on 8 November.