Welcome everyone and anyone! 

From 28 March – 31 March 2019, Absolutely Cultured, IETM and partners Arts Council England and the British Council welcomed the international performing arts community to Hull, as the city hosted IETM Hull 2019.

This timely programme of talks, workshops and performances gave the national and international arts community an insight into what is special about the contemporary performing arts sector across Hull, the north of England and wider UK.

As a city, Hull is no stranger to IETM’s mission to advocate the value of art and culture in a changing world. We have seen first-hand what can happen when culture is used to breathe energy into a place and connect communities.

For IETM Hull 2019, we brought together a diverse mix of local, regional and national artistic talent, spanning all artistic genres, to create an exciting, inspiring and totally unique artistic programme – one that challenges the notion of inclusion.

All of the shows had accessible performances and were open to everyone and anyone.

Us Against Whatever – Middle Child in association with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse and Hull Truck Theatre.

28, 29 March, 7.30pm

30 March, 2pm, 7.30pm (captioned performance)

Hull Truck Theatre, tickets £7 – £16 (assisted hearing system available)

From Pride in Poland to City of Culture to Brexit Britain, Us Against Whatever is the latest play by Hull’s award-winning Middle Child – an electrifying cabaret about the places we keep in our hearts.

Written by Maureen Lennon in collaboration with Nastazja Somers, music by James Frewer, and directed by Paul Smith, developed with support from the National Theatre and the British Council.

The performance on Friday 29 March at 7.30pm will be followed by a Q&A with the artists.

No Kids – Ad Infinitum 

28 March, 9.30pm (captioned performance)

Hull College Riverside Theatre, tickets £10.

No Kids is the latest energetic, hilarious, moving and thought-provoking play from the multi-award-winning Bristol-based company, Ad Infinitum.

No Kids is made possible by Arts Council England. Developed at Battersea Arts Centre and supported by Salisbury Playhouse, Tobacco Factory Theatres, Newbury Corn Exchange, Birmingham Hippodrome, Redbridge Drama Centre, The Tolmen Centre and The North Wall.

The performance will be followed by a Q&A with the artists.

Man on the Moon – Keisha Thompson

28 March 2019, 7.30pm (captioned performance)

Ferens Gallery Studio, tickets £10.

In this award-winning solo performance, directed by Benji Reid, Keisha communicates with her reclusive dad through books, letters and symbols. With the use of poetry, looped sounds and storytelling, this piece explores the impact that mental health can have on the family dynamic, particularly within the context of the Black British experience.

Co-commissioned by STUN and Contact. Supported with a Project Grant from the Arts Council. Presented in partnership with Slate– an Eclipse movement and supported by Apples & Snakes.

The performance will be followed by a Q&A with the artist.

Face In / Let’s Talk About Dis – Candoco Dance Company

28 & 29 March, 7.30pm

Middleton Hall, University of Hull, tickets £12.50

The renowned company of disabled and non-disabled dancers continue to offer profound, boundary-pushing experiences in its latest double bill, Face In by Yasmeen Godder and Let’s Talk About Disby Hetain Patel.

The performance on Friday 29 March, will be followed by a Q&A with the artists.

The Money – Kaleider

29 March, 7.30pm

30 March, 2.30pm (captioned performance) & 7.30pm

Council Chamber, Guildhall, tickets £10, £12.50, £15

A cross between a game and a theatrical performance, The Money plays out in Hull’s historic centre of power, the Guildhall. Choose to be a Player, Silent Witness, or a Voyeur.

The 2.30pm performance on Saturday 30 March will have speech to text captioning in English.

This is Not a Safe Space – Jackie Hagan

29 March, 7.30pm (captioned and BSL signed performance)

Ferens Gallery Studio, tickets £10

Jackie Hagan is a working class, queer amputee. Annoyed by the media portrayal of her kind, Jackie interviewed 80 people living on disability benefits and interweaves snippets of these conversations with her own experiences in this hilarious and poignant solo show exploring our attitudes towards class and disability.

The performance will be followed by a Q&A with the artist.

A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad) – Silent Uproar

29 March, 8pm

30 March, 2.30pm & 8pm

(All performances captioned)

Hull Truck Theatre – Studio, tickets £10 (assisted hearing system available)

This hilarious cabaret musical about depression, from award-winning Hull theatre company Silent Uproar, explains, sings, and throws glitter about how it’s OK not to be OK. Winner of Best Musical Award at Edinburgh Fringe.

The 2.30pm performance on Saturday 30 March will be followed by a Q&A with the artists.

Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer – Altered Skin

29 March 2019, 9.30pm (captioned performance)

Hull College Riverside Theatre, tickets £10

In a bedazzling mix of comedy, theatre and dance, Shane Shambhu reveals his journey from a ‘fat kid’ in the cultural melting pot of East London to international performer. Told through a fresh and captivating blend of comedy, impeccable characterisations and mesmerising dance, he rips up ideas of race, language and culture, re-imagining them to leave you with gestures of hope.

The performance will be followed by a Q&A with the artist.

Ladylike – Ella Mesma Company

30 March 2019, 7.30pm

Ferens Gallery – Studio, tickets £10

Are you a chicken or are you a heroine? In the wake of #MeToo comes a funny and furious show from Ella Mesma Company. Fusing dynamic hip hop with the tempestuous and sexually charged Rumba, Ladylike is a new piece of dance theatre which takes a fierce, frank and funny look at the potential and the limitations of gender roles in today’s society.

Presented in partnership with Slate–  an Eclipse movement.  Please note there is partial nudity in the show.

The performance will be followed by a Q&A with the artists.

Fat Blokes – Scottee & Friends Ltd

30 March, 9.30pm  (captioned performance)

Hull College Riverside Theatre, tickets £10

A sort of dance show about flab, double chins and getting your kit off in public, Fat Blokes uncovers why fat men are never sexy but are always funny, always the ‘before’ but never the ‘after’ shot. The show is made in collaboration with Lea Anderson and four fat blokes who’ve never done this sort of thing before.

Fat Blokes is supported using funding from Arts Council England. Co-commissioned by Southbank Centre and Home, Manchester.

The performance will be followed by a Q&A with the artists.