![A person wearing all black with their hood up. They are crouching on the floor surrounded by fragments of a broken vehicle.](https://thumbor.factoryinternational.org/PkegDv5GHGQ3KL8AjxzmC9n1GtY=/900x600/filters:format(webp):quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Traplord_1920x1080.5a23681.jpg)
- Date
- 26 - 29 Sep 2024
- Venue
- North Warehouse, Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester, M3 4JQ
- Tickets
- Standard Tickets £24
Affordable:
Concessions £12
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
Thursday 26 September and Friday 27 September, 7.30pm
Saturday 28 September, 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Sunday 29 September, 2.30pm
This event is suitable for ages 14+ . This event contains strobe lighting, vaping and strong language and themes of violence, identity and mental health
Running time: 1 hour
Accessibility features available for this event: Captioning Audio Description BSL Interpreting Wheelchair Access
This Olivier Award-winning show from world-renowned artist and cultural innovator Ivan Michael Blackstock fuses dance, live music and spoken word to explore life, death and rebirth.
Weaving between dream and reality, TRAPLORD charts a heroic journey to self-actualisation, exploring raw themes of mental health and masculinity through an electrifying blend of dance, live music and spoken word.
TRAPLORD is an invitation to question the stereotyping of Black men in contemporary western society – portraying an attempt to escape from a mental state of being condemned before having lived.
Ivan Michael Blackstock is a multidisciplinary creative known for his work as a choreographer, mentor and cultural disrupter. He is the founder of CRXSS PLATFXRM – an organisation platforming talent and forging new paths for subculture creatives. Through CRXSS PLATFXRM, he has collaborated with Nike, Red Bull, The Southbank Centre and UAL: Central Saint Martins. His work as a choreographer includes Beyoncé’s Black Is King and Grammy award-winning music video Brown Skin Girl, as well as founding his own media production company ALTRUVIOLET.
A co-production between ALTRUVIOLET, Factory International and Sadler’s Wells, TRAPLORD premiered at 180 Studios in 2022 to rave reviews and won the 2023 Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production.
Please note within this production are artistic choices and truthful narratives that pursue authentic lived experiences including physical and mental trauma and may include images which depict abuse. TRAPLORD aims to inspire a healing process in both our performers and audience members. Thank you for coming with us on this journey.
Photo by Furmaan Ahmed.
On Friday 27 September, there will be a post-show talk with Ivan Michael Blackstock in the Social from 9–10pm, which is free and open to all.
Watch the trailer
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A Gripping Journey Through Black Masculinity
The Guardian
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A technically brilliant and conceptually unique exploration of Blackness and masculinity
The Stage
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
Creative Team
Director & Choreographer Ivan Michael Blackstock
Co-Designers Shankho Chaudhuri, Chloe Lamford
Lighting Designer Simisola Majekodunmi
Sound Designer Luke Swaffield for Autograph
Video Designer Ian William Galloway
Associate Choreographer Chaldon Williams
Associate Lighting Designer Tom Turner
Associate Sound Designer Dylan Winn-Davies
Associate Costume Designer Jess Richardson-Smith
Music by Michael 'Mikey J' Asante, BRNSRGHT, CREATXR, DOMINANT, Mindaugas Juozapavicius, Torben Sylvest
Production Manager Adam Carrée
General Manager DEM Productions
Cast
Ivan Michael Blackstock
BRNSRGHT
Kanah Flex
Wild G
Kyron Nykro Jake
Magero
Ophelia Nunes-Wickham
UNDERWATERKASH
Chaldon Williams
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 will be a captioned performance of TRAPLORD on Thursday 26 September 2024 at 7.30pm.
There will be an audio-described performance of TRAPLORD on Sunday 29 September at 2.30pm.
There will be a BSL interpreted performance of TRAPLORD on Saturday 28 September 2024 at 7.30pm.
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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