Warwick Arts Centre Autumn 2019 season

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Ground-breaking dance, grand adaptations, exciting new festivals and big name comedians all set for Coventry venue

Richard Alston Dance Company

Richard Alston Dance Company: The Final Edition

Warwick Arts Centre’s Autumn 2019 Season kicks off this October with great gigs, cracking comedy, spectacular stage shows, and much more.

Having launched his acclaimed company at the arts centre in 1994, Richard Alston Dance return with The Final Edition (21-22 Nov) prior to bowing out in 2020. With a programme of revivals and new work, it’s going to be an exciting send off!

Other notable dance performances include Strictly Come Dancing faves Candoco Dance Company. Their disabled and non-disabled dancers present Double Bill (3 Oct) which includes a new piece by internationally renowned choreographer and designer Theo Clinkard (Hot Mess), and the wild and sensual Face In by Israeli choreographer Yasmeen Godder.

Theatre fans are in for a treat as Sarah Waters’ hugely popular novel The Night Watch (21-26 Oct) is bought to the stage courtesy of The Original Theatre Company and York Theatre Royal, while China Plate and Staatstheater Mainz’s Status (9-10 Oct) explores themes of nationality and identity. Co-commissioned by Warwick Arts Centre, Status uses then PM Theresa May’s assertion that “if you believe you are a citizen of the world, you are a citizen of nowhere” as a starting point.

Two new festivals debut in October and November. Change Festival (18-20 Oct) invites audiences to imagine better, aided by a variety of artists, speakers and performers. Look out for stimulating panel discussions covering such topics as renewable energy, well-being, fashion, food and nature, as well as family shows, comedy, special walks, interactive theatre and film. Meanwhile, inspired by exciting developments in the world of jazz, From The Source (8-10 Nov) includes performances from composer/ producer Nitin Sawhney, plus A Change Is Gonna Come: Music For Human Rights, for which Carleen Anderson and guests explore the power of protest songs.

Look out too for Portraits (13-15 Nov), which brings together three urgent shows about identity, power, race, gender, sexuality, society, politics, and life: Queens Of Sheba, Pink Lemonade, and Travis Alabanza’s Burgerz.

Children and families are well catered for with a magical retelling of Tom Thumb by Lyngo Theatre Company (27-30 Oct) and an adaption of There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly (2-3 Nov), told with a blend of live action, animation and puppetry, by The People’s Theatre Company. There’s also special concerts from London Sinfonietta (13 Oct) and Orchestra of the Swan (7 Dec), and the return of the hugely popular, and free, campus-wide Warwick Family Day (1 Dec).

A varied concert programme finds pop trio Saint Etienne revisit their 1994 album Tiger Bay (16 Oct), a symphonic celebration of David Bowie (Bowie: A Rock Symphonic Spectacular, 27 Oct), and composer Ludovico Einaudi (1 Nov), with new project Seven Days Walking. A rousing Classical series begins with conductor Yuri Botnari leading the Moscow Philharmonic (12 Oct) through Shostakovich’s mighty Symphony No.10, and is followed by appearances from Flanders Symphony Orchestra (31 Oct) featuring renowned guitarist Miloš Karadaglić, and an exploration of the works of Steve Reich and Philip Glass by London Sinfonietta (31 Oct).

Romesh Ranganathan (5, 15 & 16 Nov) may have already sold out, but there’s still plenty of laughs lined-up thanks to parenting podcasters The Scummy Mummies (17 Oct), Rob Beckett (17-18 Oct), Josh Widdicombe (7 Nov) and John Robins (14 Nov). West Midlands comedians are well represented too with new shows from Shazia Mirza (17 Nov), Lenny Henry (17 Nov), Frank Skinner (19 Nov), and rising star Darren Harriott (29 Nov).

With Christmas just a few months away, the arts centre welcomes legendary 1960’s singer Ronnie Spector (17 Dec), musician and raconteur Rick Wakeman (The Grumpy Old Christmas Show, 21 Dec), and a stage adaptation of Raymond Briggs’ enduring Father Christmas (27 Nov-29 Dec).

Doreen Foster, Director of Warwick Arts Centre says: “This autumn we’re excited to champion emerging as well as well-known voices who use their artistic talent to inspire, to challenge and to entertain.

“It’s a season which includes a diverse range of artists and voices from not just across the UK but also internationally, with many very special performances, including our exciting new festivals – Change and From The Source.”

For full Autumn Season listings, tickets, and more information, see: www.warwickartscentre.co.uk

FOR LISTINGS:

Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL
Box Office: 024 7652 4524
Web: www.warwickartscentre.co.uk 

See the Autumn 2019 Season brochure via Issuu.

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