Robin/Red/Breast

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Date
15 May 2024
Venue
North Warehouse, Aviva Studios
This event has ended

14+ Contains strong language and references to abortion and miscarriage as well as scenes of a sexual nature. Also contains strobe, blackout, loud noises and haze.
Running time: Approx 70 minutes - no interval

Accessibility features available for this event: Audio Description BSL Interpreting Wheelchair Access

An intimate, immersive and voyeuristic take on a folk horror classic

Norah is an outsider in the village. A TV script editor and city dweller seeking a slower pace of life after a breakup. But the village is not as it seems. Ancient rituals bubble below the surface and Norah finds herself trapped in an idyllic nightmare. With the villagers closing in, Norah must fight for control of her body, fertility and ultimately her story. Will she escape before the harvest?

Based on the 1970s TV play Robin Redbreast, this original production from Maxine Peake, Sarah Frankcom, Imogen Knight, Daisy Johnson and Gazelle Twin blends folk horror with immersive storytelling and live music.

Starring Maxine Peake as an increasingly paranoid Norah, Robin/Red/Breast is an intense live performance that blurs the boundaries between theatre, art and music. Take your seat, put on headphones and get inside Norah’s head. Who is watching her, and what do they want?

Robin/Red/Breast is a modern retelling of John Bowen’s cult TV play – often seen as a precursor to the iconic film The Wicker Man – that tackles complex issues around fertility, violence and power.

Peake, Frankcom and Knight – co-founders of Music, Art, Activism and Theatre (MAAT) – join forces with Booker Prize-nominated writer and Punchdrunk collaborator Daisy Johnson, and musician Gazelle Twin, who’s known for fusing live music with performance art. Robin/Red/Breast is Peake, Frankcom and Knight’s latest collaboration for Factory International following They (MIF23), The Nico Project (MIF19), The Skriker (MIF15) and The Masque of Anarchy (MIF13).

A tale of bodily autonomy, power and rebirth, Robin/Red/Breast is a striking and subversive adaptation for our times.

Watch

Woman wearing white apron holding her throat and screaming

Robin/Red/Breast Trailer

Maxine Peake, Sarah Frankcom and Imogen Knight sat on chairs smiling in a yellow rehearsal room

In the Studio with MAAT (Maxine Peake, Sarah Frankcom, Imogen Knight)

Events

  • Robin/Red/Breast Artist Talk

    Sunday 19 May | Join Maxine Peake and Gazelle Twin as they discuss the themes of Robin/Red/Breast – with folk horror experts Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard
  • New Writers Readings

    Wednesday 22 May | Drop by the Social for flash fiction readings inspired by Robin/Red/Breast and the weird world of folk horror
  • The cover of the print programme for Robin/Red/Breast

    Robin/Red/Breast official programme

    Find out more about the story behind Robin/Red/Breast with our official programme. Available to buy at Aviva Studios, it features editorial from filmmakers Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard on the resurgence of folk horror, writing that delves into the history of the original broadcast of Robin Redbreast, and an original piece of flash fiction responding to Robin/Red/Breast's themes, commissioned by Factory International and chosen by Booker Prize-winner Daisy Johnson.

Tickets

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

Adapted from Robin Redbreast, written by John Griffith Bowen

Sarah Frankcom Director and Co-Creator

Maxine Peake Performer and Co-Creator

Imogen Knight Movement Director and Co-Creator

Gazelle Twin Composer

Daisy Johnson Writer

Lizzie Clachan Set, Props and Costume Designer

Lizzie Powell Lighting Designer

Pete Malkin Sound Designer

Carol Jarvis Arranger

Tyler Cameron Performer

Rachel Allen, Megan Bousfield, Beth Calderbank, Emma Close, Rebecca Goodwin, Grace Harman, Emily Nicolas, Lisa Ridgway, Sophie Smart, Isabel Thompson, Rachel Wong Brass band players

Commissioned and produced by Factory International. Copyright in the Underlying Property is owned by The Estate of the John Griffith Bowen.

Good to know

Robin/Red/Breast is an immersive show and the majority of seating will be formed of unreserved bench seats. There will also be floor space where audience members are invited to sit, paying a lower price ticket. If you purchased a ticket before 21 April you’ll have automatically been allocated bench seating. Accessible seating with back support and spaces for wheelchairs are also available. To book an accessible seat or wheelchair space, please call 0161 817 4531 (Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm) or email access@factoryinternational.org.

The first part of the performance will be experienced via a headset which will be provided at Aviva Studios. Text copies of the script will also be available for any audience member who may benefit from being able to read the text.

There is a BSL performance on Saturday 25 May at 2.30pm and an audio described performance on Sunday 19 May at 2.30pm.

Access information

Our full address is Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ and the what3words is chop.feeds.chase.

You can approach Aviva Studios along Water Street (coming from Quay Street) or along Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield). Both entrances to the building have double sets of glass doors.

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

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

Once inside Aviva Studios, there is step-free access to all areas of the venue. The flooring throughout the building is smooth concrete.

This event takes place in the Warehouse at Aviva Studio. This is a large, high ceilinged space.

The entrance to the Warehouse is by lift or stairs from the Social. Two lifts and a staircase to the Warehouse are located in the Social opposite the bar.

The Social has a range of seating, including those with arms and backs.

The bars in the Social and Hall Foyer have lowered accessible service points.

Our building is large. We have portable stools available to borrow if you would benefit from resting along the way during your visit.

We have wheelchair spaces and seats at standing events for all events.

You can find further information about general accessibility at Aviva Studios on our main Access Information page

There is step-free access to all areas of the venue, with lift access to the Warehouse from the Social, and lift and escalator access to the Hall from the Social

There are accessible toilets on all public levels of our building.

Accessible toilets are located inside the main toilets space in the brick arches of the Social.

Here you’ll find a mixture of accessible cubicles with left- or right-hand transfer, towards the back of the space, as well as ambulant accessible cubicles with grab rails, as well as a Changing Places facility.

The toilets in the brick arches of the Social are split into male, female and gender neutral – all of which contain accessible cubicles. There are shared handwashing facilities in each arch – they have soap dispensers under the mirrors to your left and dryers to the right. There are separate handwashing facilities inside the accessible cubicles.

There are additional single-room accessible toilets located in both Hall Foyers, at stalls and circle level.

There are additional single-room accessible toilets located in the Warehouse Foyer.

You do not need a key to use the accessible toilets at Aviva Studios.

Assistance dogs are welcome in our building, and 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. Please also refer to our assistance dogs policy.

If you are bringing an assistance dog to a ticketed 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).

Please note this show contains strong language and references to abortion and miscarriage, as well as scenes of a sexual nature. If you are affected by any of these issues, we’d like to signpost to the charities Wellbeing of Women (https://www.wellbeingofwomen.org.uk), Mind (https://www.mind.org.uk/) and Support Line (https://www.supportline.org.uk/) for further resources and support. This production also contains strobe, blackout, loud noises and haze.

There is a BSL interpreted performance of Robin/Red/Breast on Saturday 25 May at 2.30pm. The Access Provider is Jude Mahon.

Robin/Red/Breast contains the following visual effects: strobe, blackout, loud noises and haze.

There is an audio described performance of Robin/Red/Breast on Sunday 19 May and the Access provider is Anne Hornsby, Minds Eye.

The first part of the performance will be experienced via a headset which will be provided at Aviva Studios. These headsets can also transmit audio for the whole performance for audiences who require assisted listening. Please let an usher know if you require this service.

Audiences that require a Bluetooth connection or T'loop setting can access the whole performance via WAVEcast receivers for assisted listening. These devices are hearing aid compatible with a neck loop.

Text copies of the script will also be available for any audience member who may benefit from being able to read the text.

Travel information

Aviva Studios can be approached along Water Street (coming from Quay Street) or along Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield).

The Water Street route is the quickest way to arrive at our City Square entrance.

Our closest stations are:

Salford Central station: 0.4 miles

Deansgate station and Deansgate-Castlefield tram: 0.6 miles

St Peter’s Square tram: 0.6 miles

Manchester Victoria station is approximately one mile from Aviva Studios

Manchester Piccadilly station is approximately 1.3 miles from Aviva Studios

Click on the links above to find detailed access information for each station.

By Bike

There are 40 bike parking spaces at Aviva Studios including space for two accessible bikes.

National Cycling Route 6 passes close to the venue and this TfGM webpage can help with route planning.

You can also hire bikes from on-street docking stations across the city centre. The closest docking stations to our venue are currently on Deansgate by Liverpool Road and (400m from the building) and by King Street (500m from the building). Take a look at Transport for Greater Manchester’s webpage for advice on cycle hire.

By Walking and Other Active Means

Aviva Studios can be approached along Water Street via Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield).

If you're coming from Quay Street, the safest route to avoid construction works is via the cut-through opposite Gartside Street and past Booking.com.

All footways in the surrounding area are well lit and there are appropriate crossings across all main roads.

Pedestrians with visual impairment are recommended to approach the building via Water Street, from Liverpool Road. This route has traditional carriageway and footway design with fixed street furniture which should help with navigation to the entrance.

A footbridge at Left Bank in Spinningfields provides an accessible link across the River Irwell to Salford Central station, and a further footbridge also links Aviva Studios with the Salford area of Middlewood Locks.

Free bus services stop at all city-centre stations, and near to Aviva Studios along Deansgate, Bridge St and Quay St. Buses on these free routes are wheelchair accessible. For full details of the free bus routes, please visit the TfGM website.

There is a car park approximately 0.6 miles from Aviva Studios at Water Street Car Park, New Elm Rd, Manchester, M3 4JH.

There is also a NCP car park (Manchester Spinningfields) approximately 0.5 miles away from Aviva Studios at Spinningfields, New Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3BE. It has 35 accessible bays.

There are a small number of Blue Badge spaces along Water St and Quay St. Otherwise head towards Liverpool Road, Great John St and Lower Byrom St – close to our neighbours, the Science and Industry Museum where there are a small number of additional Blue Badge spaces.

For a list of other parking bays available in the area, visit Manchester City Council website.

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