Factory International

MIF25

Blackhaine: And Now I Know What Love Is

Book tickets
A man in a black hooded jacket leans his head against a woman’s shoulder, his eyes closed, while she looks downward with a solemn expression. The background shows an overcast sky and cityscape.
Date
9 - 19 Jul 2025
Venue
Diecast - 51 Ducie St, Manchester M1 2JQ
Tickets
Standard: £25
Affordable:
Concessions £12.50
Aviva £10 Tickets
A booking fee of £1.50 applies to all tickets.
This a standing event. There will be some portable stools and seating available.

Wednesday 9 July to Saturday 12 July: 7.30pm

Sunday 13 July: 2.30pm

Wednesday 16 July to Saturday 19 July: 7.30pm

We have free essential companion tickets available for wheelchair users and disabled visitors. We do not require proof to book an essential companion ticket with your access ticket.

Essential companion tickets are free with a wheelchair, disabled, BSL, captioned or audio description ticket at any price point, including £10 and concession price tickets. Essential companion tickets are intended for people for whom it would be significantly difficult to access our venue without support from another person.

To book access tickets please call 0161 817 4531 (Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm) or email access@factoryinternational.org or book online. For more instructions, please visit How To Book Access Tickets.

We’re putting art in the heart of Manchester, within reach of everyone; and have affordable ticket options including £10 tickets on most shows for those who need them.

For information about Aviva £10 Tickets and concessions visit our Affordable Ticketing FAQs page.

Book tickets

Suitable for age 12+. Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult aged 18+
Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Accessibility features available for this event: Captioning Audio Description Wheelchair Access

Blackhaine presents an immersive performance work blending choreography and sound – asking both the cast and audience to question their sense of belonging and love in a world of despair

In And Now I Know What Love Is, internationally acclaimed artist, choreographer and musician Blackhaine explores the similarities between birth and death through a collage of music, text and choreography.

Taking over an industrial space in Manchester, the piece draws inspiration from the rich urban landscapes of North West England where the artist grew up – liminal and seemingly desolate spaces.

Searching for hope among desolation, And Now I Love What Love Is takes audiences on a cathartic journey. Performed live by a company of dancers, audience members are invited to move around the edge of the performance space, encountering one and other against a post-industrial backdrop of psychedelic noise and movement.

Blackhaine is a British contemporary artist whose multimedia work brings together a mix of voice, movement and scenography, characterised by a radical approach to drill and noise music. His work extends to choreography, immersive audiovisual installation and creative direction for globally renowned musicians.

Oscillating between life and death, hope and desperation, And Now I Know What Love Is is an invitation to step outside of reality and into a numb world.

Manchester International Festival 2025

A bold, artistic graphic with the words "DREAM Differently" in yellow text against a red and pink gradient background with a grainy texture.
MIF is back – inviting you to leap into the unknown with some of the most exciting creative minds of our generation.
Explore the festival →

Tickets

Factory International members on sale: Tuesday 11 March, 12.30pm

General tickets on sale: Wednesday 19 March, 10am

We have a range of affordable tickets, including options from £10 for those who may need them. You can find out more about our Affordable Ticketing Policy here.

For ticketing and box office related enquiries, please contact tickets@factoryinternational.org or call 0333 322 8679 (phone lines are open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm).

For more information please visit Ticketing and Sale of Goods Terms & Conditions – Factory International

Credits

Creative Team

Director & Choreographer Blackhaine

Assistant Choreographer Bruxism

Music Directors Blackhaine and Croww

Additional Music GABRIEL

Sound System Design Kyle Marriott 

Lighting and Visual Design Emmanuel Biard

Stylist Lou Webb

Cast

Company

Kayleigh Price, Kyrah Decoteau, Louis Ellis, Rebecca Callow, Rhys Dennis, Sam Brown, Samara Langham, Tyresse Nichols

Musicians Croww & Samara Langham

Commissioning

Commissioned by Factory International & Holland Festival

Produced by Factory International

With support from Civic Engineers

Image: Archie Finch

Executive Producer Tricia Coleman

Producer Pete Vance

Producing Administrators Subu Shrivastava, Simaran Patel & Rebecca Burgess

Production Manager Martin Clarke

Stage Manager Joe Colgan

Assistant Stage Manager Alyssa Watts

Artist Liaison Assistant Jojo Hunt

Wardrobe Manager Susan Limbert

Access information

The full address of Diecast is 51 Ducie St, Manchester M1 2JQand the what3words are icons.composers.cards.

The venue can be approached from Great Ancoats Street, or from Piccadilly, turning onto Ducie Street.

There is one accessible toilet at this venue. It does not require a radar key. There are additional toilets at the venue.

Assistance Dogs are welcome at this venue.

We can provide mats and water bowls on request, just ask a host when you arrive. We can also take care of your assistance dog if you do not want to take your dog into the performance space. Due to the high volume levels at this event, we advise leaving your assistance dog with our team for the duration of the performance.  Please also refer to our assistance dogs policy.

If you are bringing an assistance dog to this event, please let us know in advance by contacting access@factoryinternational.org or calling our access phone number: 0161 817 4531 (phone lines are open 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday).

To book access tickets and essential companion tickets please call 0161 817 4531 (Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm) or email access@factoryinternational.org, or book online.

Access bookings can be made by email, phone or online. They are also available in person at Aviva Studios.

This event takes place in a disused warehouse space. The floor is uneven concrete with a gentle slope and the temperature inside the space is cool. 

The step-free entrance is down a wide sloped entrance, with a steep gradient.

This a standing event. There will be some seating available for access patrons, on request.

Please call 0161 817 4531 (Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm) or email access@factoryinternational.org to request accessible seating.

This event will be captioned on Thursday 17 July, 7:30pm. The captions will be available on hand-held devices. Please book a Captioned User ticket to reserve a device.

This event will be audio described on Friday 18 July, 7:30pm

There will be heavy use of haze and strobe lighting throughout.

The sound levels will be very loud at certain moments. The soundscape will include overwhelming walls of bleak psychedelic music and live instruments.

The show reflects themes that may be triggering, including ill mental health, as well as ritual and stages of the life cycle, including death and grief.

Please note as the show develops, the What to Expect Guide may change. You can find the latest version below.

Diecast Access Information →

Travel information

Diecast is 0.3 miles from Piccadilly Station, 0.8 miles from Oxford Road Station, and 1 mile from Victoria Station.

Diecast is 0.3 Miles from Piccadilly Tram stop, 0.5 from Piccadilly Gardens Tram Stop and 0.6 miles from Market Street Tram Stop. 

Diecast is 0.3 Miles from Piccadilly Gardens Bus Station, 0.7 miles from Shudehill Bus Station, and 0.5 miles from Chorlton Street Coach Stations.

There is bike parking on the corner of Jutland Street and Ducie Street.

There is a bike hire station on Redhill Street. Take a look at Transport for Greater Manchester’s webpage for advice on cycle hire.

The venue can be approached from Great Ancoats Street, or from Piccadilly, turning onto Ducie Street.

There are a number of pay and display car parks close by. These are located at 61 Ducie Street and at 30 Tariff Street.

Diecast is 1.5 miles from Aviva Studios, and the venues are connected by the 33 bus route.

Become a Member

Be first in line for Manchester International Festival 2025 tickets. Become a Member and get priority booking for the festival and beyond. Are you in?

Join now →

Related Content

Sign up ↓