Three nights of runway performances showcasing Manchester's underground clubland and new-wave cabaret scene will take over the vast warehouse space at Aviva Studios later this month (June 20-22).
Curated by director and choreographer Darren Pritchard and collaborator Rikki Beadle-Blair, House of MCR is Factory International's celebration of Manchester’s QTIPOC (Queer, Trans and/or Intersex Person of Colour) community, taking elements from international underground sub-cultures.
Hosted by performer, director and activist Rikki Beadle-Blair, 27 QTIPOC performers from Manchester’s club scene will perform each night, competing in six categories: We Dress, We Sing, We Dance, We Strip, We Lip Sync and We Are Family.
For the final category, performers will be joined by members of their chosen or biological family as a closing expression of unity. The audience will decide who comes out on top.
Rikki Beadle-Blair said: “The mission is simple - to bring together all races, genders and sexualities and give them the night of their lives. Dressed up or dressed down, House of MCR is a gorgeous, wild, safe space where everyone belongs.”
There's a promise that audiences will be dazzled while learning the history and politics of a culture created by, and for, once-marginalised people.
The performers' outfits have been created with help from students from the Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University, with award-winning designer Gavin Douglas. Each two-hour performance will be followed by an after-party hosted by Ghetto Fabulous, Club Zindagi and Swagga.
Darren Pritchard said: “Nothing like this has been produced on this scale for the communities I am working with. We are aiming for the audience to have the night of their lives.”
More info and tickets here