Welcome Weekend
Saturday 10 May, 11am-5pm & Sunday 11 May, 11am-5pm
Norwich City Centre
FREE
All these wonderful shows pop up over the city throughout our magical opening weekend. Take your pick from theatre, dance, pole acrobatics, trapeze, and more! And best of all, it’s free!
Important information
Venue: Norwich City Centre
SATURDAY 10 MAY
Artizani - Hydropunk
1-6pm, The Forum, Theatre Plain
Pop in to see taps, valves, pipes, pumps, sprays, and leaks come together to form a chaotic, yet playful water machine, created in collaboration with the public.
Company DHW - Go Grandad Go!
1-1.30pm, 3-3.30pm & 5-5.30pm, Haymarket
Touch Tour, 2.45, 15 mins
A heartwarming inter-generational Hip-Hop theatre dance show that redefines generational relationships.
Levantes Dance Theatre - Hug
1-1.30pm & 2.45-3.15pm, Norwich Cathedral, Upper Close Green
Through a fusion of aerial dance, physical theatre and striking visuals audiences are invited to rediscover the power of touch, connection and the simple act of a hug.
Mish Weaver - Waiting Song
1.30-1.45pm, 3.45-4pm, 5-5.15pm, Tombland
Touch Tour 3.30pm
Two singing trapeze performers engage audiences in an evolving participatory outdoor performance.
Nandita Shankardass - Roots to Rise
2.30-3.10pm, 5-5.40pm, Chapelfield Gardens
Touch Tour 4.45pm, 15 mins, Audio Description available
A promenade dance-theatre show, embodying ancestry, agriculture, ecological activism and the wisdom of women. Join the journey, renew your relationship with the earth and celebrate freedom.
Sadiq Ali Company - Tell Me
1-1.45pm & 4.30-5.15pm, The Forum, Amphitheatre
Chinese pole acrobatics, physical theatre and music are used in a captivating contemporary circus dance show that reimagines the narrative around HIV in today’s world.
ICHI
1.45-2.30pm & 4-4.45pm, Norwich Cathedral, Upper Close Green
ICHI takes the notion of a one-man band to new limits, combining his quirky handmade instrument inventions to create something entirely new. It’s fun, it’s danceable, it’s exciting!
Theatre-Rites & Miguel Altunaga - Eshu at the Crossroads
1.45-2.15pm, 3.30-4pm & 5.15-5.45pm, Motorcycle Park above Norwich Market
Dancers and a puppeteer find themselves at an enchanted crossroads in this tale of choice, trickery and joy. A wonderful family adventure.
Tilly Ingram Theatre - The Hide
1.45-2.15pm & 4-4.30pm, Norwich Cathedral, Lower Close Green
A peaceful meditation and live birdwatching experience, where Tilly shares her love of birdwatching and her struggles as a woman with non-visible disability.
Red Herring - Silent Disco
2.30-3.30pm & 5-6pm, Norwich Cathedral, Upper Close Green
With a classic disco playlist and medals to be won- with points for bling, shapes and enthusiasm – get down and boogie your cares away!
Jerry Tremblay
2.15-2.45pm, 4-4.30pm, The Forum, Amphitheatre
All the way from Quebec, Jerry Tremblay presents an absurd, theatrical circus show which keeps his audience on the fragile edge!
Norwich Puppet Theatre - Fabulous Creatures Workshop
1-6pm, The Forum, Millennium Plain
Make your own weird and wonderful rod-puppet creature. The stranger, the more absurd the better!
SUNDAY 11 MAY
Artizani - Hydropunk
11.30am-4.30pm, The Forum, Theatre Plain
Pop in to see taps, valves, pipes, pumps, sprays, and leaks come together to form a chaotic, yet playful water machine, created in collaboration with the public.
Mish Weaver - Waiting Song
11.30-11.45am, 1.15-1.30pm & 2.30-2.45pm, Tombland
Touch Tour 2pm, 15 mins
Two singing trapeze performers, dressed in sumptuous circus costume, engage audiences in an evolving participatory outdoor performance.
Sadiq Ali Company - Tell Me
11.30am-12.15pm & 2.15-3pm, The Forum, Amphitheatre
Chinese pole acrobatics, physical theatre and music are used in a captivating contemporary circus dance show that reimagines the narrative around HIV in today’s world.
ICHI
1-1.45pm & 3.15-4pm, Haymarket
ICHI takes the notion of a one-man band to new limits, combining his quirky handmade instrument inventions to create something entirely new. It’s fun, it’s danceable, it’s exciting!
Theatre-Rites & Miguel Altunaga - Eshu at the Crossroads
12.15-12.45pm, 1.45-2.15pm & 4-4.30pm, Motorcycle Park above Norwich Market
Dancers and a puppeteer find themselves at an enchanted crossroads in this tale of choice, trickery and joy. A wonderful family adventure.
Tilly Ingram Theatre - The Hide
12-12.30pm & 1.45-2.15pm, Norwich Cathedral, Lower Close Green
A peaceful meditation and live birdwatching experience, where Tilly shares her love of birdwatching and her struggles as a woman with non-visible disability.
Red Herring - Silent Disco
11.45am-12.45pm & 2-3pm, Haymarket
With a classic disco playlist and medals to be won- with points for bling, shapes and enthusiasm – get down and boogie your cares away!
Norwich Puppet Theatre - Fabulous Creatures Workshop
11.30am-4.30pm, The Forum, Millennium Plain
Make your own weird and wonderful rod-puppet creature. The stranger, the more absurd the better!
Tickets: This is a non-ticketed event
FREE
Norfolk & Norwich Festival is a partner in Without Walls, a consortium of festivals and arts organisations bringing fantastic outdoor arts to people in towns and cities across England. Find out more on www.withoutwalls.com. Shows at the Welcome Weekend are co-commissioned by Norfolk & Norwich Festival and a number of partners.
Masthead credit: Chris Parkes
Artizani, Hydropunk
Hydropunk is supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Stockton International Riverside Festival, Birmingham Weekender, Brighton Festival, and Norfolk & Norwich Festival.
CompanyDHW, Go Grandad Go!
Go Grandad, Go! is supported by Without Walls and commissioned by FESTIVAL.ORG for Greenwich+Docklands International Festival and Brighton Festival.
Levantes Dance Theatre, HUG
HUG is supported by Ensemble Festival, Birmingham Weekender, Brighton Festival, Stockton International Riverside Festival.
Mish Weaver, Waiting Song
Waiting Song is supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Certain Blacks, Birmingham Weekender and Brighton Festival.
Nandita Shankardass, Roots to Rise
Roots to Rise is supported by An Indian Summer Festival, Stockton International Riverside Festival, Brighton Festival.
Sadiq Ali Company, Tell Me
Tell Me is supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Certain Blacks, Inspirate and Birmingham Weekender. The R&D for Tell Me was supported by Blueprint: Without Walls R&D Investment Fund.
Stop Gap Dance Company, RO-TES រទេះ
RO-TES រទេះ is supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Birmingham Weekender, Stockton International Riverside Festival and Brighton Festival.
Theatre-Rites & Miguel Altunaga, Eshu at the Crossroads
Eshu at the Crossroads (working title) is supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Stockton International Riverside Festival, Birmingham Weekender and Brighton Festival.
Tilly Ingram Theatre, The Hide
The Hide is supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Brighton Festival and Norfolk & Norwich Festival.