Manchester's Flare international new theatre festival has announced a few items from this year's line-up in advance of the full programme launch in May.
In her only UK tour date of 2017, Britt Hatzius will bring Blind Cinema to an undisclosed underground cinema in the city centre in which local children describe a film that they haven't seen before to blindfolded spectators from behind their seats.
Simon de Winne will give the UK première of his dance piece Baardeman (Beardman), exploring the relationship between movement and identity, at HOME Manchester.
Finally, FLARE15 artists Guillem Mont de Palol and Jorge Dutor will bring their latest project to Contact Theatre. Grand Applause is based on Bizet's Carmen and will lead audiences on a journey between exhibition rooms and through acts of the opera without leaving their seats, featuring a Manchester choir and "dancing ghosts".
FLARE17’s Artistic Director Neil Mackenzie said, "we are thrilled to be programming another week of new theatre from around the globe.
"Since its conception in 2007, Flare International Festival of New Theatre has grown tremendously and has given a platform to many emerging artists who have gone on to do great things, and we're confident FLARE17 will be the best year yet.
"Our programme, alongside MIF in the summer, will highlight a diverse range of talent to both local and international audiences in July."
FLARE17 will run from 4 to 8 July 2017. The full programme will be launched at HOME Manchester on 4 May.