Four emerging performing arts companies from across the UK perform new works next week at The Courthouse in Thirsk, home to arts charity Rural Arts.
The performers were selected through a call out as part of the charity’s artist development scheme Flourish, which gives them the opportunity to perform a work-in-progress piece in front of a live audience.
The scheme focuses on showcasing work by under-represented artists and companies in North Yorkshire as well as nationally. It also offers networking, mentoring, training and commission opportunities and helps keep performing artists connected and supported.
Max May, Director and CEO, Rural Arts, said:
“We’re thrilled to be supporting four emerging performance companies via our Flourish scratch performance. Flourish is all about supporting performance makers from North Yorkshire and beyond to grow and develop new work. We were blown away by the quality and range of applications we received, and invite you to join us on Saturday 11th December. It’s Pay What You Can – so absolutely no risk on taking a punt on a new show!”
The four companies will showcase a diverse range of performance mediums as well as themes. ACCA Dance present Occupational Hazard, a dance duet between air hostesses, whose normal workday is taken over by a strange rigidity that makes it harder and harder to keep smiling. Paper Theatre by Eve Sheridan shares a series of shadow theatre vignettes, in which a young girl explores the world around her, and meets some unusual characters. Disenchanted with fairytales, the girl must find her own path. From Joy Cruickshank comes How To Be a HOT MESS (or How To Live In Your Twenties), a fast-paced show that blurs stand up, spoken word, drag and theatre. Finally, Julie by Abey Bradbury is a musical retelling of the life of Julie D’Aubingy’s life, a 17th Century Opera Singer, who was also famous for being an excellent swordswoman and one of the first public figures to live openly as a bisexual woman.
Rural Arts’ Scratch Night takes place on Saturday 11th December 2021, 7.30pm at The Courthouse, Rural Arts, Westgate, Thirsk, YO7 1QS. Tickets are Pay What You Can.
