Welcome Weekend
SATURDAY 9 MAY, 12NOON-5PM & SUNDAY 10 MAY, 11AM-4PM
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
GERALDINE PILGRIM COMPANY – CHAIR!
Set in a dreamlike world, CHAIR! imagines how we can once again have public spaces that care.
St Andrew’s Hall, The Garth
Sat: 1pm, 2.30pm & 4pm (30 mins)
DAUGHTERS OF THE WIRE – ELEVATEHER
Revealing female struggles and strengths played out between three multi-height tightwire rigs.
Chapelfield Gardens
Sat: 12.45pm & 3pm (40 mins)
Sun: 12:45pm & 3.15pm (40 mins)
Audio Description available on the second show each day
RADICAL RITUAL – TENDER EXCHANGE
A living folk artwork inviting heartfelt sharing, deep listening, trust, and connection.
St Andrew’s Hall Plain
Sat: 11am-1pm & 3-5pm (drop-in)
TALAWA THEATRE COMPANY – FRAGMENTS OF US
An evocative outdoor performance exploring Black male identity, resilience, and vulnerability.
The Forum, Millenium Plain
Sat: 12noon & 3pm (40 mins)
Sun: 11:45am-2.15pm (40 mins)
THIRUNARAYAN PRODUCTIONS – HOLY DIRT
A vibrant, funny, and beautiful mini-epic that brings buffooning to Indian street theatre.
Motorbike Park
Sat: 1.30pm & 4.15pm (45 mins)
Sensory & Access infomation
SHYAM DATTANI & MIRA SALAT – GARBH
An innovative outdoor dance work that reimagines ancient Gujarati folk dance.
Chapelfield Gardens
Sat: 12noon & 3.45pm (35 mins)
What to expect guide
Audio Description available
Touch Tour Sat 3.20pm
NIGEL ‘KOBBY’ TAYLOR – THE TORCH
A high-energy gig-theatre experience. Afrobeat, hip-hop, rap and storytelling collide – powered by live DJ decks and shimmering synths to provide a beat-driven narrative about not fitting in and the moment you finally discover your own light.
The Forum, Millennium Plain
Sun: 11am & 1.30pm (40 mins)
FERDINANDO + BERNSTEIN – STICK AND STONE
Communicating through physical comedy and visual imagery, Ferdinando + Bernstein face the climate breakdown with the joy of idiocy and play.
The Forum, Theatre Plain
Sat: 1.30pm & 4.15pm (45 mins)
Sun: 12.45pm & 3.15pm (45 mins)
FROZEN LIGHT THEATRE – MUSEUM OF SPIRALS
A new one-to-one experience for audiences with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Booking required.
Norwich Guildhall
Sat: Every 30 mins, 12noon-4.30pm (20 mins)
Sun: Every 30 mins, 11am-3.30pm (20 mins)
DIZZY O’DARE – THE GIANT BALLOON SHOW
Feverous balloon sculptures, high energy clowning and, of course, the all important giant balloon!
The Forum, Millenium Plain
Sat: 12.45pm, 2.15pm & 3.45pm (30 mins)
Hay Hill
Sun: 12.30pm & 2.30pm (30 mins)
CAT & MOUSE THEATRE – STAND & DELIVER
The year is 1725. A roving court, led by the notorious ‘Hanging Judge’ Jeffries, arrives to dispense swift justice. But is this trial about guilt and innocence, or the divide between the wealthy and the poor? A family-friendly theatre show that encourages you to join the court proceedings.
St Andrew’s Hall Plain
Sat: 1.45pm (30 mins)
Hay Hill
Sat: 4.15pm (30 mins)
Sun: 11.30am & 1.30pm (30 mins)
Touch Tour Sat 3.50pm
NORWICH PUPPET THEATRE – WORKSHOP
Bring your favourite jungle creatures to life. From cheeky monkeys to colourful parrots, mix, atch, cut and stick to your heart’s content and take home a puppet you made yourself! £7.50 per puppet.
The Forum, Millenium Plain
Sat: 12noon-4pm
Sun: 12noon-4pm
Tickets: This is a non-ticketed event
FREE
CHAIR!
Supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Brighton Festival and Activate/Inside Out Dorset.
Also by the Old Diorama Arts Centre. The initial R&D for CHAIR! was supported by FESTIVAL.ORG (Greenwich+Docklands International Festival).
Image credits © David Caines.
Holy Dirt
Holy Dirt is supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Brighton Festival and An Indian Summer. The work has been funded by Arts Council England, with generous support from Certain Blacks, 101 Outdoor Arts, and ArtAsia. It is being made in partnership with InKo Centre, India, which produces and tours the performance in India and Korea.
Image credits: Sasha Krohn and Vidya Thirunarayan 2025 @ Robert Golden.
Fragments of Us
Supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Birmingham Weekender, Stockton International Riverside Festival and Brighton Festival. Original commission support by Greenwich+Docklands International Festival.
GARBH
Supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Birmingham Weekender, Freedom Festival, An Indian Summer, Activate/Inside Out Dorset, Stockton International Riverside Festival and Brighton Festival. Also by Richmond Arts & Ideas Festival 2025 and Co-Produced by Pagrav Dance Company with funding from Arts Council England.
Tender Exchange
Supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Brighton Festival, Activate/Inside Out Dorset, Stockton International Riverside Festival and Freedom Festival.
The Torch
Supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, Freedom Festival, Certain Blacks, Stockton International Riverside Festival and Brighton Festival. Also by Middle Child Theatre and Hull Jazz.
STICK AND STONE
Stick and Stone is supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Certain Blacks, Brighton Festival, Activate/Inside Out Dorset and Stockton International Riverside Festival.
ElavateHer
Elevateher is co-created by Glastonbury Circus Commission 2024.
Supported by Without Walls and Arts Council project grant 2025.
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.
Supported by the Paul Bassham Charitable Trust
Sponsored by
Masthead credit: Luke Witcomb