Sweet Dreams
30 Jul - 1 Sep 2024
- Date
- 30 Jul - 1 Sep 2024
- Venue
- The Warehouse, Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester, M3 4JQ
- Tickets
- Standard Tickets £15
Affordable:
Concessions £7.50
Aviva £10 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.
To book access tickets please call 0161 817 4531 (Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm) or email access@factoryinternational.org
If there's a few of you coming along you can save with a group ticket.
4 people for £44
6 people for £66
8 people for £88
Available Wednesday-Sunday only. Choose any combination of tickets and your discount will be applied automatically.
Tickets are £10 for school and education groups of 10 or more. Plus get one free ticket for every 10 people booked on.
For group bookings, please contact groups@factoryinternational.org or call 0161 817 4531 (phone lines are open 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday).
Entry to Sweet Dreams is timed – you have a 30-minute time slot to enter the experience starting from the time on your ticket. For example, a 2pm ticket admits entry between 2pm and 2.30pm.
Latecomers will be admitted at the next available entry with capacity. During busy periods you may have to wait.
You’re welcome to arrive earlier to enjoy a drink or some food in the Social or on Factory Square and take a look at our merchandise before the show.
We know sometimes plans change so if for any reason you're unable to use your tickets, they can easily be exchanged for another time slot on the same or an alternative date. See our ticketing section here for more information.
Suitable for ages 8+. Younger children welcome at parent or guardian discretion. Contains fast-moving images, flashing LED lights, loud surround sound and more. Further details available in our FAQs/Access information.
Running time: Approx 60 - 90 minutes including any queuing time.
We know sometimes plans change so if for any reason you're unable to use your tickets, they can easily be exchanged for another time slot on the same or an alternative date. See our FAQs here for more information.
Accessibility features available for this event: Captioning Audio Description Relaxed Performance BSL Interpreting Wheelchair Access
Step inside the surreal world of a fading fast-food empire in this interactive adventure that mixes cinema and animation
Whether you’re the ultimate foodie, a cinema buff or just someone who loves an unforgettable experience, Sweet Dreams is set to be the surreal snack you can’t get enough of this summer.
Sweet Dreams is a brand-new immersive adventure that invites you to step into the world of the Real Good Chicken Company. Brought to you by award-winning artist collective Marshmallow Laser Feast, it mixes animation, cinema and interaction.
Enter the Real Good Chicken Company’s headquarters and let has-been mascot Chicky Ricky take you under his wing. With the fast-food empire on the brink of collapse, join Chicky Ricky on his quest to understand what people really want in this weird and wonderful journey into the food chain.
Become a worker in a cartoonish factory, a test subject in a department researching human appetite and a whole lot more as you journey through a series of different rooms charting the company’s glory days to their downfall.
Voiced by actor and comedian Munya Chawawa, Chicky Ricky is joined by a glut of other characters – including shelved mascot Penny Peckish (voiced by comedian and impressionist Morgana Robinson) and The Boss (voiced by comedian Reggie Watts).
This multi-sensory experience takes over Aviva Studios for Summer 2024 and is cooked up in collaboration with award-winning writer and former chef Simon Wroe, with art direction by French artist mcbess.
image: McBess
Watch the trailer
Tickets and offers
Tickets for Sweet Dreams are dynamically priced and may fluctuate depending on demand per entry slot. This allows us to price fairly across all times throughout the day, and helps us to manage venue capacity. Our Aviva £10 tickets will always stay at £10.
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
We know sometimes plans change so if for any reason you're unable to use your tickets they can be exchanged for another time slot on the same or an alternative date, subject to availability.
To exchange your tickets, or to put tickets up for resale, please contact us on 0333 322 8679 or email tickets@factoryinternational.org. We need minimum 24 hours notice before the time slot begins to make any changes to the booking.
A few of you coming along? Save on dough with a group ticket.
4 people for £44
6 people for £66
8 people for £88
Available Wednesday-Sunday only. Choose any combination of tickets and your discount will be applied automatically.
From 11 to 16 July, tickets are just £7.50 for school and education groups of 10 or more. Plus get one free ticket for every 10 people booked on.
From 17 July, tickets are £10 for school and education groups of 10 or more. Plus get one free ticket for every 10 people booked on.
For group bookings, please contact groups@factoryinternational.org or call 0161 817 4531 (phone lines are open 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday).
Credits
Commissioning
Produced by Marshmallow Laser Feast and Factory International
Made with the support of the BFI Filmmaking Fund
An Epic Mega Grant Recipient
Creative Team
Created by Marshmallow Laser Feast
Written by Simon Wroe
Illustrations by mcbess
Cast
Reggie Watts as The Boss
Munya Chawawa as Chicky Ricky
Morgana Robinson as Penny Peckish, The Orlotan
FAQs
The experience is approximately 60 minutes long.
The experience is suitable for ages 8+. Younger children are welcome at parent or guardian discretion.
Babes in Arms - Children aged 2 and under do not require a ticket.
The event contains representations and sounds of food and eating throughout, references to poverty, tobacco use, funerals and death, and some mild swearing.
It also contains large digital screens with fast moving images, flashing LED lights, blue UV lighting, moments of darkness, water-based haze and loud surround sound featuring music and dialogue simultaneously.
There is some optional audience interactivity.
We sell tickets for show slots every 30 minutes and your ticket is valid for entry for 30 minutes past the time on your ticket i.e. a 2pm ticket guarantees entry from 2pm – 2.30pm.
Please note that our Relaxed, Audio-Described and BSL interpreted presentations will start at the advertised time, and are not valid for late entry.
No, all tickets for Sweet Dreams are general entry and do not come with a seat allocation. This is a processional experience which requires audiences to move through a series of spaces. The audience will be required to stand for much of the experience, one of the rooms has seats where you will have an opportunity to sit. There will also be foldable stools available to borrow, which you are welcome to carry around with you during the experience. If you have any questions concerning access, please get in touch via email at access@factoryinternational.org
Entry is within 30 minutes of your allocated time slot. Any later entry is at the discretion of the Duty Manager. It will depend on venue capacity and cannot be guaranteed.
We know sometimes plans have to change so if for any reason you are unable to use your tickets we offer a flexible exchange service.
Tickets can be exchanged for another time slot on the same or alternative date (subject to availability). We can also transfer tickets to a friend or relative if you can find someone else to use them.
We need minimum 24 hours’ notice before the time slot begins to make any changes or amendments to the booking.
To exchange your tickets please contact us on 0333 322 8679 or email tickets@factoryinternational.org with details on what time slots you’d like to transfer into.
Refunds are only offered if a performance is cancelled.
If your tickets have not arrived by email by email or text by the day of the event, please log in to your account here: https://factoryinternational.org/my-account/. You can download your tickets from the E-tickets tab.
You can also email the box office at tickets@factoryinternational.org or call 0333 322 8679, Monday to Saturday between 10am to 6pm, for them to be emailed again.
Please also check junk/spam folders if you are unable to locate your e-tickets.
Yes, you can buy tickets from the tickets desk in The Social at Aviva Studios, subject to availability.
You can purchase tickets using card only. We are a cashless venue.
Entering the show before your time slot will depend on venue capacity and cannot be guaranteed. If you do arrive early, feel free to enjoy our Social café or outside food and drink options, browse our shop or check in your coat before entering the show space.
There will be a cloakroom to leave coats and small bags, before you enter the experience. Please keep personal belongings to a minimum.
There will be space to leave prams and pushchairs outside the exhibition. Subject to availability, you may be able to take your pram or pushchair into the exhibition with you.
Yes, we will have a range of merchandise available at our shop in The Social.
Listen: Audio Trailer
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.
We're a new purpose-built cultural space in the heart of Manchester. The approach to Aviva Studios is flat, with smooth concrete flooring.
The entrance to our building is through double glass doors. There are automatic doors at both entrances and these are also staffed when the building is open to the public.
Once inside, there is step-free access to all areas of the venue. Lifts to the Warehouse are located through the glass doors beside the city entrance. Lift and escalator access to the Hall is located next to the river entrance, just beyond the brick arches.
You will first arrive into the Social, a large public space where there are a range of seats (including those with arms), a bar and toilets (including accessible toilets and a Changing Places facility).
The bars in the Social and Hall Foyer have lowered accessible service points, and induction loops for hearing-aid users.
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.
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).
There is step-free access to all areas of the venue, with lift access to the North Warehouse from the Social. The experience is step-free and there is access for wheelchair users throughout. The rooms have been designed with wide doorways and clear pathways.
The are BSL interpreted presentations on the following dates:
These presentations will involve a live BSL interpretation from Alexandra James who starred as Aisha Green in season 4 of Sex Education. Watch our BSL trailer below:
There are audio-described performances on the following dates:
Open Audio Description will be delivered by Anne Hornsby of Mind’s Eye. Anne will travel through the experience with you and describe the environment and the action in real-time. Anne will also support blind and visually impaired visitors to engage with interactive and tactile moments in the work.
There are relaxed presentations of Sweet Dreams on the following dates:
The relaxed presentation will feature the following adjustments:
Space
We’ve scheduled these sessions at a reduced capacity so that you’ll have plenty of space to move around without feeling too crowded.
There are no sessions scheduled directly before and after this group’s entry into the space so that you have exclusive use of the space and don’t feel rushed.
You are welcome to move about and make noise if you need to.
Our Front of House team will be on hand to guide anyone who wishes to leave the experience at any point via the nearest exit.
Aviva Studios is quieter in the mornings. We suggest you book for this time if this will make you more comfortable.
Lighting
General lighting through the experience will be a little brighter than usual to help you navigate your way through the space with ease.
There will be no flashing lights or strobe.
Moments of complete darkness will be removed.
Sound
Overall sound volume is reduced throughout.
There will no very loud noises.
We will have ear defenders or ear plugs available to use.
We’ll continue to update this information as the production develops with more specific information. There will be an announcement to the audience before the session starts, so that everyone knows what to expect.
We have created a What to Expect Guide which can be used as a resource to support Relaxed Presentation attendees to plan their visit. It will also be useful to those who have never attended an immersive processional experience before.
You can access the guide below.
All presentations from Fri 19 July 2024 onward are captioned. Captions will be presented on screens throughout the experience.
This is a processional experience which requires audiences to move through a series of spaces. The audience will be required to stand for much of the experience, three of the rooms have seats (including beanbags and chairs without arm rests) where you will have an opportunity to sit. They’ll also be foldable stools available to borrow, which you are welcome to carry around with you during the experience.
Sweet Dreams contains representations and sounds of food and eating throughout, references to poverty, tobacco use, funerals and death, and some mild swearing.
The production also contains large digital screens with fast moving images, flashing LED lights, blue UV lighting, moments of darkness, water-based haze and loud surround sound featuring music and dialogue simultaneously.
There is some optional audience interactivity.
For those who may find this type of environment overstimulating, there are relaxed presentations on the following dates:
Please see our tab on relaxed presentations for more information on how these showings will be adapted.
Please note as the show develops, the What to Expect Guide may change. You can find the latest version below.
Travel information
The building 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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