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17:00 — 22:30
Hidden behind the walls of Hope Street, the Light Night Ritual festival will unravel as the night unfolds. Celebrating through artistic performances, local rhythms, and a fresh selection of young talent, expect a feel-good family atmosphere and an edgy, contemporary vibe, and some of the best local food and drink that money can buy. The gardens of Blackburne House will be adorned with festival flags, bunting, decorated trees and dazzling lights, alongside a plethora of street food, and outdoor bars, accompanied by a live DJ soundscape.
This is a Light Night spectacular you won’t want to miss! A night of sensational displays and visual effects, performances, and acts from across the city will join in the celebration.
Artists will explore the various forms of creative self-expression of ritual, spanning community, family and ceremony, which are created to be enjoyed by all.
The grand finale - the Wicker Woman, is symbolic of the emancipation from the shackles of patriarchal generational rituals, imposed by society and religion. We are challenging the very nature of rituals and gender over time and symbolically setting women free in the most beautiful and breathtaking ceremony with Bring the Fire Project, Brazillica, and more…
As the moon crosses the sky, expect fire dancing, tribal drumming, festival vibes, and a captivating, magical GRAND FINALE Wicker Woman Ceremony like no other!
All events are family friendly but parental discretion will need to be applied for the final ceremony because of the macabre masks and costumes.
17:00 — 22:00
Celebrating through artistic performances, local rhythms, and a fresh selection of young talent, expect a feel-good family atmosphere and an edgy, contemporary vibe, and some of the best local food and drink that money can buy. The gardens of Blackburne House will be adorned with festival flags, bunting, decorated trees and dazzling lights, alongside a plethora of street food, and outdoor bars, accompanied by a live DJ.
HENFREY ROOM
Mythical Mask Making Workshop
17:00 — 20:00
You will be closely guided by Liverpool theatrical productions Artist, Carly Fisher and team, through the stages of creating the mask design, from deciding the theme of your mask and choosing materials to add to it. And, best of all, you can keep the mask you make at the end of the session. This workshop will be fun, informal, creative and friendly. Carly’s hand-made mythical and theatrical masks will also be featured in the Wicker Woman ceremonies, happening over the course of the evening.
MAIN HALL
Staged Kaos
17:00 — 18:00
Staged Kaos children will be singing, dancing, and performing in a unique production Kaos aims to develop essential skills such as confidence and social development through performing arts training with a focus on creativity for children.
The Advocacy Story
18:00 — 19:00
Witness 30 years of radical history in this Heritage Lottery funded performance celebrating People First Merseyside, a charity run by and for people with learning disabilities. Our members collaborated with Unity Theatre to stage the highs and lows of running the organisation and speaking up to improve their lives.
Wakey Wakey!
19:00 — 20:00
Liverpool Scriptshop present an hour-long cabaret-style show with a mix of original poetry, sketches and songs and music.
Brunt Bogart, A Tapestry of Tales
20:15 - 8:45 and 21:00 — 21:30
A backdrop film of ritual dance, folk fiddle, accordion and drum with live narration by David Greygoose. Brunt Boggart: A Tapestry of Tales, published by Pushkin Press, nominated for the Carnegie Medal. Film by First Take with original score by Hannah James (Lady Maisery) and Giles Lewin (founding member of Bellowhead).
THE BISTRO
Opera Viva
17:00 — 17:30
Beautiful renditions of operatic pieces, sung in English with a full chorus. Performances are colourfully staged with costumes and lighting, to bring the magic of opera to Blackburne House!
Quadraphonics
18:00 & 20:00
A three-piece saxophone performance playing velvety rhythms.
Other musical performers will play throughout the night in The Bistro.
COURTYARD Wicker Woman Ceremony The Wicker Woman is symbolic of the emancipation from the shackles of patriarchal generational rituals, imposed by society and religion. Part One 19:00 — 19:30 The opening ceremony by Coach House Theatre Productions interpreted and choreographed by LJMU dancers and masked actors to bring you the first of three vibrant and enchanting ceremonies as the sun lays fat in the sky. Part Two 20:00 — 20:30 As dusk approaches, part 2 descends into a tribal and magical ceremony of dancing and ritualistic drumming from Brazilica with narration from Coach House Productions. Grand Finale: Wicker Woman 21:45 — 22:15 The time has come to release the Wicker Woman from her patriarchal shackles and emancipate her from the rituals of old, empowering all women in the land, creating true equality between the sexes. Bring the Fire Project tells the story of women’s struggles to be free, through fire dancing, poi, and staffs to bring you a spectacular macabre-masked performance to the soundtrack of Opera Viva and a secret song when Wicker Woman is lit by light. As the ceremony draws to an end, a stunning display of light dancing and performance enclose the magnificent and giant Wicker Woman as she basks in incandescent light for the whole of the city to see.