Return Tour Signals Exciting Growth For Hubbub Theatre Company
Derby-based Hubbub Theatre Company is starting a three-date regional tour later this month to showcase the organisation’s exciting plans for the future.
Hubbub Theatre Company is an integrated ensemble of performers with and without moderate learning disabilities.
The company has re-worked its successful ‘Kessoku’ show – meaning ‘unity’ in Japanese - into a 30-minute remix featuring five of its talented performers with physical theatre and circus artist, Ria Ashcroft and Hubbub’s composer and musician, Matt Marks.
‘Kessoku Remix’ will be performed at Burton’s Brewhouse Arts Centre on Monday May 22nd; Attenborough Arts Centre in Leicester on Thursday May 25th and Derby Theatre on Wednesday May 31st.
The show – described as ‘Zen to mayhem in 30 minutes’ features a selection of traditional Japanese stories that are skilfully told through music, physical theatre and puppetry.
The performance takes the audience from the stillness and ritual of Japanese meditation and movement into a high energy action-packed tanuki (meaning raccoon) chase and fanfare.
After each show, there will be an opportunity for the audience to meet up with the company and for people with moderate learning difficulties who are interested in theatre to join a free 40-minute workshop.
The workshops will be short taster of Hubbub’s new and unique action training programme which starts in September.
There will also be information about the company’s expanding ‘Get Involved’ programme including a weekly drama group, youth theatre and theatrical club nights.
Hubbub’s expanded offer has been made possible by an Arts Council Elevate grant – awarded to just a handful of companies across the UK who support performers with learning disabilities.
Hubbub Theatre Company Artistic Director Jen Sumner explained: “We are very much looking forwarding to taking ‘Kessoki Remix’ back on the road after our inaugural tour last year.
“This pop up version will be the perfect showcase for Hubbub at a very important and exciting time in our development.
“The stories are wonderfully abstract with great characters that suit our sense of fun. There are also underlying themes of working together, unity and harmony that sit well with our company philosophy.
“We aim high so that everybody has the opportunity to gain new skills and surprise themselves, as well as building self-confidence, self-expression and a sense of belonging to something meaningful and exciting.”
Jen continued that the tour was also an important platform to further raise the profile of the company’s work across the region.
“’Kessoku Remix’ is much more flexible for different venues, whether that is a conference or an outdoor festival, and is therefore a great way to show our expertise and diversity for future events.
“It is also a great opportunity to spread the word wider about our actor training offer and our other different opportunities for performers with modern learning disabilities across the region.
“Thanks for the Arts Council Elevate funding we are now able to focus on building a resilient and sustainable organisation over the coming years.
“This will ensure that we can create even more learning and performance opportunities for young people who may not otherwise have an outlet for their creative talents.”
For more information about ‘Kessolu Remix’ tour tickets costing £5; post performance workshop tickets (free but need to be pre-booked); actor training and the ‘Get Involved’ programme please visit www.hubbubtheatre.org