Louder Is Not Always Clearer, This Time, Devil’s Fairground, Listening Room, Tulips,
Louder Is Not Always Clearer – tour starts 4 May
Louder Is Not Always Clearer is a funny story of difference and desperation to belong.
It is created and performed by Jonny Cotsen, who uses multimedia techniques to explain how he negotiates life as a deaf man in a hearing world.
For a hearing audience, it is said to be illuminating and emotional; for deaf audience members it is a familiar tale of misunderstanding and isolation; for both it is a humorous and moving story of trying to belong.
The show is accessible to D/deaf, hard of hearing and hearing audiences through the use of spoken English, British Sign Language and creative captions. Booking is essential.
Louder is Not Always Clearer is presented by Mr and Mrs Clark and is part of this year's British Council Edinburgh Showcase. The tour visits Small World Theatre Ceredigion, Machynlleth Comedy Fest, Chapter Arts Centre Cardiff, Bristol Old Vic and Pencoed Library.
This Time – tour starts 10 May
Following on from award-winning Tipping Point, Ockham's Razor tours its new theatre show, This Time.
Using circus, physical theatre and narrative storytelling with original music, the show looks at perceptions of strength and ability.
The show is devised and performed by Lee Carter, Alex Harvey, Faith Fahy and Charlotte Mooney, features music by Max Reinhardt and Chioma Uma and is directed by Charlotte Mooney and Alex Harvey.
This Time is produced by Turtle Key Arts and visits New Theatre Royal Portsmouth, Dance City Newcastle, The Lowry Salford and St Stephen's Theatre Edinburgh.
Devil’s Fairground – tour starts 12 May
Olivier Award-winning alternative cabaret group The Tiger Lillies tours in May with a new show, Devil’s Fairground.
Known for their dark and twisted sense of humour, genre-defying musical stylings and for singing controversial songs about all vices imaginable, the band are celebrating their 30th anniversary.
These "Godfathers of Brechtian punk cabaret" are the group behind Shockheaded Peter.
Tiger Lillies founder Martin Jacques and band member Adrian Stout spoke about their 30-year career and unique style last year on the BTG podcast.
Devil’s Fairground is presented by Bound and Gagged and Tim Whitehead and visits Milton Keynes The Stables, Coventry Warwick Arts Centre, Didcot Cornerstone, Cambridge Junction, Bristol Redgrave Theatre, Birmingham Old Rep, Durham Gala, Hertford Theatre, Brighton Theatre Royal, Gloucester Guildhall, Manchester Home, Leeds City Varieties, Norwich Playhouse, Winchester Theatre Royal, Taunton Brewhouse and Bath Komedia.
The Listening Room – tour starts 14 May
The Listening Room, which is about restorative justice which has been proven to reduce reoffending by as much as 27%, has been written by Harriet Madeley from interviews with both victims and offenders.
Using three violent crimes committed by young men, the play explores the power of face to face communication and the transformative impact of the meetings.
The Listening Room is directed by Max Barton and presented by Crowded Room who will be running workshops for schools and communities alongside the show.
The Listening Room has previously been seen at London's the Old Red Lion and Theatre Royal Stratford East has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and National Prison Radio. This production will visit prisons and schools as well as theatre venues as follows: Theatr Clwyd, Oldham Coliseum, Glassbox Theatre MidKent College Campus, Lighthouse Poole, Cheltenham Everyman, Northern Stage, Harrogate Theatre, The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre Havant, CAST Doncaster, Arlington Arts, and The Lowry Salford with more dates to be announced.
Tulips – tour starts 15 May
Tulips is a new fictional full-length drama about two men who have experienced domestic abuse at the hands of their female partners.
Can they admit there’s a problem and what self-respecting bloke would visit a prevention service called the Tulip Project?
Inspired by real-life cases, the play is supported by Mankind Initiative, the leading national support service for male abuse victims.
Tulips is presented by Exit, Pursued By Panda and directed by Adrian Tang; it is written by Michael Beakhouse.
The tour visits Bracknell, Bath and Guildford, areas which have higher than average numbers of male victims of domestic abuse.
Tulips plays The Studio Theatre South Hill Park Bracknell, The Mission Theatre (as part of Bath Fringe Festival and Glive (as part of Guildford Fringe Festival).