More More More in May!
Announcing 3 new events this month including gallery trips, outdoor games and walking tours! Plus Macbeth goes into rehearsal and theatre workshops this week!
Hey all!
We’ve got an action packed newsletter ahead announcing several new events, reminding you what else is already on the agenda, sharing protest details and updating you about the Macbeth project! Buckle in! Megan xxx
APPROACHES TO VERBATIM THEATRE, exploratory workshop - FRI 2ND MAY - 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Space 4
Theatre makers often collage together contributions from lots of people to make a show, it can sometimes get a bit overwhelming…so where do we start?
Join facilitators/directors/writers Caitlin Clough and Megan Marie Griffith to discuss and experiment with theatre making techniques using words and stories from real life.
We’ll provide lots of different activities and prompts so that we can practically explore different creative methodologies together, as well as discussing ethical concerns. There’ll be opportunities to write, think, talk, sample, watch and create a little something in a way that feels comfortable and interesting for you.
Think: The Vagina Monologues; The Laramie Project; Grenfell and of course our very own Millennial Pink… using testimony from real people as a starting point can help us build unexpected theatrical forms and generate unique, boundary breaking storytelling that feels illuminating and connecting. But it’s not without its pitfalls…
We’d love to see people of different backgrounds and disciplines at the workshop and you don’t need theatre or specific art form experience to take part. Tickets start from £5, click the link above!
NEXT WEEK!
SPEED MATE-ING, making mates, made easy - FRI 9TH MAY - 7:00 PM - 9:15 PM
Whitworth Locke, Oxford Road, Space 4
We’re thrilled to have worked with illustrator Brooke Hadfield to create a beautifully updated version of our poster! You may recognise her work from the gorgeous animations featured as part of Millennial Pink. You can check out her work and commission her for your project here.
Taking inspiration from dating shows, agony aunts and teenage sleepovers, Speed Mate-ing encourages people to undertake creative challenges and respond to conversational topics, creating authentic connections between new friends! Find out more and book your tickets at the link above.
NEW EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS!
ROUND ROUND BABY ROUND ROUND- GIRL GANG ROUNDERS!- WED 14TH MAY - 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM - location tbc!
We're gonna play some nostalgic low stakes rounders and other school yard games together!!! Think Stuck in the Mud! Sardines! Capture the Flag! Tiggy off Ground!
Park TBC but as close to town as possible! Sign up and we will email you with further info when we have it. Tickets will be a fiver!
Manchester Past Present & Future- Girl Gang x Manchester Walking Tours #2- SUN 18TH MAY - 2:30 PM - 6 PM - Starting Sackville Gardens, ending Exchange Square
New in town? Born and bred? Mad about Manchester? Not quite sold yet?
Covering history, politics, pop culture and prominent figures, our collaboration with the best reviewed walking tour in town includes the must-see attractions as well as our secret quirks. With musical scoring, conversation starters, beverages to sample, fun facts and lots of photo opportunities, by the end of the tour you're going to have a 2000 year history of the city- where it's come from, where it's at, where it's going and how to make the most of your time here.
We'll start each section with ice breakers to get everyone connected so that new buddies can bloom between stops and people feel just as warmly welcomed if they come with a group or alone. Find out more and book your tickets at the link below!
Women in Revolt- Girl Gang Group Trip!- THUR 22nd MAY - 6:30 PM - 9 PM - Whitworth Art Gallery
We're planning a Girl Gang group outing to the exhibition, with (weather permitting picnic) and post exhibition drink to discuss! Details TBA but register below for further info.
This landmark exhibition at the Whitworth features over 90 women artists and collectives whose ideas have helped fuel the women’s liberation movement during a period of significant social, economic and political change from 1970-1990-.
Women in Revolt! explores six key themes, spanning two decades of art and activism. These include maternal and domestic experiences, anti-racist and LGBTQ+ activism, Greenham Common and the peace movement, and punk and independent music.*
SHAKE IT OFF! MON 9TH MAY - 7 PM - 8 PM - YES BAR- The Pink Room
Mark your diaries for the next Shake It Off Pop Music video inspired dance class with our lush Chloe Senior of Kinetic Dance Wellbeing!
June will be a throwback theme that has happened before, so stay tuned to Chloe’s stories to vote on what you missed our on or would love to do again!
LATER THIS MONTH!
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW with HER Productions RETURNS! TUE 27TH - SAT 31ST MAY - 7.45 PM (with a 2.15PM Sat matinee)- HOME Theatre 2
The Bella’s Club will officially re-open in 2025 and you’re invited!
We’re so proud that HER Productions will be remounting their highly successful rendition of one of Shakespeare’s most polarising comedies.
A drunken patron (Sly) falls victim to our gang of Unseemly Women. As Sly wakes from his wild night of Cabaret, he is told a story, supporting a wider prank that Sly is not a drunken patron, but a Lord of great status and wealth. Our Unseemly Women spin him a tale about a wealthy merchant of Padua, and two daughters: Katerina and Bianca. Because of Katerina’s “shrewish” disposition, her father has declared that no one shall wed Bianca until such a time as Katerina has been married. But our girls have a secret…
CONVERSATIONS FOR CHANGE WORKSHOP- THUR 29TH MAY - 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM- Whitworth Locke Co-working space
We’re buzzing that this workshop seems to be resonating with a quarter of the tickets available already sold!
It's more important than to ever speak out for the things we believe in! But how do we continue to speak calmly and compassionately with people we disagree with, or worse, seem to be actively trying to antagonise us? How about challenging those closest to us?
This will be practical workshop chock full of case studies, group discussion and opportunities to literally practice practicing what you preach. We will share and build skills and strategies to keep the conversation on some of society’s most urgent topics from being derailed.
UNSEEMLY SHAKESPEARE with HER Productions: MACBETH!
This is week one of Macbeth rehearsals at HOME and it’s all very exciting! Have you been enjoying the incredible promo shots by Emma Ledwith being drip fed across social media over the past couple of weeks? Make sure you’re following HER Productions for all the BTS over the next 5 weeks of rehearsals! Though we’ll be sure to keep you up to speed here too! Here’s where you will be able to catch it!
📅 June 5 - 7
📍 @shakespearenorthplayhouse
📅 June 10 - 12
📍 @thedukeslancaster
📅 June 18 - 29
📍 @hopemilltheatre
📅 July 2 & 3
📍 @lawrencebatleytheatre
ON ROTATION THIS WEEK:
Using our voices: I wish we didn’t have to say it, but it feels important to re-iterate RN that Girl Gang as a collective seeks to platform and centre women and non-binary people, including trans women. It’s extremely rare that we do events that are denying cis men, (infact we wish more cis men would engage with our work lol!) but we work particularly hard to make our events welcoming and safe space for ALL women and non-binary participants, including trans women, always and forever. You can join us raising our voices against the ruling this weekend here:
FROM OUR FRIENDS:
Bet’n Lev Theatre as we are bringing award-winning play “Remythed” to Shakespeare North next week on the first stop of our tour and we'd love you to come along.
Remythed is a play about centring Queer joy through the reclamation of stories from the backgrounds of the performers in the show. From Scheherazade to Lady Godiva by way of Anansi the play shines a light on queerness throughout history in a joyful, silly, uplifting and moving hour of theatre
OK that’s just about enough! Thanks for reading and hope to see you at one of the very many fun things detailed above super soon! Enjoy the sun!
Megan and all the gang xxx