Internationally renowned Australian company Back To Back Theatre is at Leeds Playhouse (November 2-5) as part of a major cultural exchange rought about by the British Council and Australian government.
Back to Back is an ensemble of artists with disabilities and is considered one of Australia’s most important cultural exports.
The tour is the result of a collaboration between Leeds-based international festival Transform, Leeds Playhouse, Battersea Arts Centre and the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, in Brighton.
The production is The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes. When Simon, Scott and Sarah, a trio of disability activists desperate to save the world, set up a public meeting, what unfolds is a story of great sadness and a reminder that none of us is self-sufficient and all of us are ultimately responsible. As well as the performances, Transform and the Playhouse are working with Bradford-based Mind the Gap, one of Europe’s leading learning-disabled theatre companies, with a series of opportunities to engage with the production and Back to Back's body of work. Events will include film screenings, workshops and a talk. Creative director of Transform, Amy Letman, said: “I’ve dreamed about bring Back to Back's extraordinary work to Leeds for the last decade. Three years in the planning, this international tour will see Shadow reach audiences across the UK for the first time." The Playhouse's deputy artistic director, Amy Leach, added: “We're thrilled to be hosting such an exciting international company as it embarks on what promises to be a must-see tour.
"It’s going to be fascinating to witness the discussions that emerge and the creative work developed around the show by our friends at Mind the Gap.”
More info and tickets here