Making C-o-n-t-a-c-t in Salford & Manchester

Published: 18 October 2020
Reporter: David Upton

Aoife Kennan and Charles Angia make C-o-n-t-a-c-t Credit: Pamela Raith

C-o-n-t-a-c-t, an immersive, two-hander outdoor performance featuring a 3D sound design will run in partnership with The Lowry in two locations—Salford Quays and central Manchester—for six weeks from January 19.

The production opens this month in Brussels and Rome whilst Sweden and Chile open next month.

This production opened to 4-star reviews from The Guardian and the i, with The Times calling it “a tantalising vision of a new kind of theatre for these difficult times.”

It’s a timely story of a moving and unexpected encounter that explores the themes of mental health and anxiety through the eyes of Sarah as she is approached by someone she believes to be a stranger. She discovers that he can hear her thoughts, but how?

The show runs for 50 minutes without an interval and audiences download the audio from the app synchronizing spectators and actors, allowing the show to play with theatrical concepts and a new form of dramaturgy.

Audiences of no more than 17 purchase their tickets online and then receive a link to download the app.

It is understood the show complies with measures in place for businesses and the performing arts. It’s an outdoor promenade experience and adheres to strict 'social distancing'. It is also an audio experience that involves no direct speaking of any actor in the play. All audience members will be required to wear a face-covering and observe 'social distancing' measures.

It will be performed from January 19 to February 28.

*Some links, including Amazon, Stageplays.com, ATG Tickets, LOVEtheatre, BTG Tickets, Ticketmaster, The Ticket Factory, LW Theatres and QuayTickets, are affiliate links for which BTG may earn a small fee at no extra cost to the purchaser.

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