Platform 4 Piccadilly 2009
18-20 September 2009, Manchester Piccadilly Gardens
Join us in Piccadilly for an exciting weekend of music, dance and theatre from some of the UK's most prestigious companies. Platform 4 Piccadilly brings you a fusion on styles and themes in relaxing surrounding and offers performances and fun for children and families.
Piccadilly Manchester is delighted to be associated with Platform 4 Piccadilly's second festival of arts and animation within the Gardens. Sign up to the Piccadilly Loyalty Card and make sure you don't miss out on a range of exclusive discounts on food and leisure activities in many of Piccadilly's top venues.
Event Listings
Jump To: Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Friday 18th September
6pm until Late
Hi-Tech
Manchester's hugely popular steel band plays hits from Joy Division and The Buzzcocks as you've never heard them before.
Chol - 'Not For All the Tea in China'
A brand new interactive street theatre production from Chol Theatre, which draws the audience into the world of a 1908 Edwardian Olympic tea party with a difference - a world where British identity is changing and assumed cultural values are being questioned.
Stopgap - Tracking
Join us for an explosion of dance on the streets as stopGAP's dancers sneak out of the crowd. Join the queue and watch a jolting race photo-finish and keep up with the thundering beats as these integrated dancers share their own connection to the 2012 Olympic games. Switching between 70's kitsch and vintage Britain, the company is joined by celebrated disabled dancer David Toole (DV8, CandoCo) in this energetic outdoor experience.
Fittings - Sputnik
For the Liverpool-based theatre company latest show, Garry Robson, Artistic Director of Fittings Multimedia Arts, has joined forces with kinetic artists Sharmanka, musician Leigh Stirling, choreographer Mish Weaver and award-winning performer Claire Cunningham to create a unique performance installation.
Akademi - Sufi/Zen
A new work from pioneering organisation Akademi who are working to encourage excellence in the practice of South Asian dance in Britain. Sufi/Zen will explore the relationship between the stillness of Zen monks contrasted to the passion of Sufi mystics. Executed through two dance styles kathak and contemporary dance, Sufi/Zen will reflect the ethos of cultures from Persia through to Japan.
Marc Brew - Nocturne
Inspired by JM Whistler's Nocturne, this exquisite contemporary dance quartet pull back the sheets on exhausted embraces and near misses in the night draw you into the unseen dreams of cities at dusk. Nocturne has been conceived and created by choreographer Marc Brew and designer-dramaturg Luke Pell, with original music from composer Gary Lloyd.
Kazzum - Paper People
Two paper sellers tell stories as they manipulate newspapers into characters and landscapes. Once the stories have ended the Paper People wheel off their stand to tell their stories, elsewhere. A young peoples' theatre company celebrating diversity and difference.
Kompany Malakhi - Rotations
BMX riders, and B-boys join forces for this highly acclaimed show from Kompany Malakhi, whose productions draw on influences from physical theatre, hip hop culture, and contemporary dance.
"A dance force to be reckoned with." Newcastle Journal
Dr Butler's Hatstand Medicine Band
In their own words, "Dr Butler's Hatstand Medicine Band present you their good time rags and reels, show stoppers and sight stealers; music for foot stomping and toe tickling that joins hearts with flesh whilst invigorating the thinking mind."
"I think the most I've danced in the past 10 years is to that band. Dr Butler's Hatstand Medicine Band are fantastic. Washboard, harmonica, double bass, beauty, they're just fantastic. I think you'd call it ragtime, I'm not sure but it's awesome music to dance to." - Guy Garvey, ELBOW, Mercury Music Award Winner
Wet Picnic - The Dinner Table
Brush up on your table manners with Ursula Harrington, Carrington Barrington and Farrington Larrington who will take you on a crash course in how to behave with help from their extremely animated dinner table.
Avanti - The Spurting Man
Friday evening will be rounded off in spectacular style with a performance by Avanti, featuring Manchester's own human fountain, the Spurting Man. Performed to Ravel's Bolero, without a word being spoken, the pompous Spurting Man shows off his tricks whilst his assistant, dominated and undervalued, is given no credit at all. Expect plenty of water (and don't stand too close!) in this performance created especially for Piccadilly Gardens!
Thingamajig Theatre - YAK
Watch out for two walkabout giant creatures: a gentle, mysterious Yak and a whimsical green creature from another world.
Lightwalkers
The girls appear suspended in space, gracefully floating, delicately interacting, using their lights to play games , direct people or lead a procession. Up to five performers mesmerize the environment with simple starkly beautiful images in a multi-colour swirl of costume.
Fairly Famous Family - David Paine
Top’ street magician David Paine and his long-suffering cameraman Barry bring magic and glamour to your event. David performs feats of spoon bending and telepathy that defy the laws of nature while Barry brings out some Oscar winning performances from the crowd. For the grand finale David stays handcuffed in a locked mailbag, without food or water, for 44 seconds before escaping in the spectacular trick... 'Below the Behind'.
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Saturday 19th September
1pm until 5pm
Prodigal Theatre & Gravity Style - Fusion
Prodigal Theatre in collaboration with Parkour originators Gravity Style present a performance inspired by free running. Dangerous and daring there's a chance to watch the experts in action and then try it for yourself in a (safe) special workshop - places are limited so it's strictly first come first served.
Frolicked - The Boggart
Don't miss this tiny puppet, based on a local magical yet malevolent creature who haunts the lanes and bridges of the North West.
Pret a Porter Le Diable au Corps - The Very Devil
This acrobalancing duo from France invite the spectator to share their 'petit voyage' of extravagance and breathtaking physical exchange.
Plunge Boom - The Troll's Kitchen
Interactive Installation (Master Chef meets the Brother Grimm). A Troll has been sighted so the Chefs have been summoned, for a hungry troll is trouble, especially if you have pets! In a bid to keep him well fed and untroubled the chefs are cooking him a banquet. Public are invited to forage for ingredients before preparing a meal from the cock-and-bull-cook-book. Repugnant stews, rancid cup cakes, putrid smoothies, and mangy salads are the order of the day, so roll up your sleeves and hold your nose!
Marc Brew - Nocturne
Inspired by JM Whistler's Nocturne, this exquisite contemporary dance quartet pull back the sheets on exhausted embraces and near misses in the night draw you into the unseen dreams of cities at dusk. Nocturne has been conceived and created by choreographer Marc Brew and designer-dramaturg Luke Pell, with original music from composer Gary Lloyd.
Dr Butler's Hatstand Medicine Band
In their own words, "Dr Butler's Hatstand Medicine Band present you their good time rags and reels, show stoppers and sight stealers; music for foot stomping and toe tickling that joins hearts with flesh whilst invigorating the thinking mind."
"I think the most I've danced in the past 10 years is to that band. Dr Butler's Hatstand Medicine Band are fantastic. Washboard, harmonica, double bass, beauty, they're just fantastic. I think you'd call it ragtime, I'm not sure but it's awesome music to dance to." - Guy Garvey, ELBOW, Mercury Music Award Winner
Stopgap - Tracking
Join us for an explosion of dance on the streets as stopGAP's dancers sneak out of the crowd. Join the queue and watch a jolting race photo-finish and keep up with the thundering beats as these integrated dancers share their own connection to the 2012 Olympic games. Switching between 70's kitsch and vintage Britain, the company is joined by celebrated disabled dancer David Toole (DV8, CandoCo) in this energetic outdoor experience.
Swaminarayan Gadi Pipe Band
The Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Pipe Band was formed in 2005. They have toured in Europe and India and alongside traditional music they also play Indian Bollywood fusion, so be prepared for a cultural hightlight!
Jon Hicks - Icons
Upside down, revolving, 6 foot tall paintings of the iconically famous. Executed with speed, style, dexterity, attitude and immaculate timing to music.
Bash Street Theatre - The Station
The Station combines physical theatre and silent movie stunts with live music, performed on the accordion. The show has already attracted bookings from festivals in France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, and Poland for the summer of 2009.
Acrojou Circus Theatre
Amazing acrobatics from these stunning strolling players, from Acrojou Circus Theatre, performing street theatre of the highest calibre in stunningly designed costumes.
Akademi, Chol, Kazzum and Fittings are part of the decibel Performing Arts Showcase (15 - 18 September in Manchester), which promotes diverse practice in the performing arts sector by showcasing the work of some of England's most creative and talented artists and companies.
StopGAP, Marc Brew and Fittings are part of Without Walls, a UK wide consortium of eight street art festivals who commission new and original work for the great out doors.
http://www.withoutwalls.uk.com
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Sunday 20th September
1pm until 4pm
Creature Feature - The Gorillas
A family incredibly naturalistic Mountain Gorillas accompanied by their in-trepid Explorer friend. Startlingly realistic and full of fun, this interactive act is entertaining for everyone. Learn about their habits whilst getting a gorilla cuddle!
Artizani - The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and Punt
One of Europe's most stylish and stunning street acts, Artizani combines traditional circus skills, vaudeville, music, dance, comedy and spectacle with a touch of the surreal. Join our plucky young undergraduates who will take you punting in Piccadilly and discover the shady underbelly of vaudeville and circus as characters from the sinister Cabinet of Dr Caligari come to life before your very eyes.
Larkin About - Gran Tourismos
Be very afraid as our three gliding grannies riding on top of souped-up shopping trolleys cause mayhem around Piccadilly. . With choreographed routines, great sound track and their usual anarchic humour Gran's Tourismo proves that there's life beyond the bus pass!
Plunge Boom - The Troll's Kitchen
Interactive Installation (Master Chef meets the Brother Grimm). A Troll has been sighted so the Chefs have been summoned, for a hungry troll is trouble, especially if you have pets! In a bid to keep him well fed and untroubled the chefs are cooking him a banquet. Public are invited to forage for ingredients before preparing a meal from the cock-and-bull-cook-book. Repugnant stews, rancid cup cakes, putrid smoothies, and mangy salads are the order of the day, so roll up your sleeves and hold your nose!
Pret a Porter Le Diable au Corps - The Very Devil
This acrobalancing duo from France invite the spectator to share their 'petit voyage' of extravagance and breathtaking physical exchange.
Dr Butler's Hatstand Medicine Band
In their own words, "Dr Butler's Hatstand Medicine Band present you their good time rags and reels, show stoppers and sight stealers; music for foot stomping and toe tickling that joins hearts with flesh whilst invigorating the thinking mind."
"I think the most I've danced in the past 10 years is to that band. Dr Butler's Hatstand Medicine Band are fantastic. Washboard, harmonica, double bass, beauty, they're just fantastic. I think you'd call it ragtime, I'm not sure but it's awesome music to dance to." - Guy Garvey, ELBOW, Mercury Music Award Winner.
Jon Hicks - Icons
Upside down, revolving, 6 foot tall paintings of the iconically famous. Executed with speed, style, dexterity, attitude and immaculate timing to music.
Juba do Leão
With lashings of floor-shaking grooves and vibrant, stunning choreographies, percussion and dance collective Juba do Leão take you on an enlightening tour of the intoxicating grooves of Brazil and beyond.
Acrojou Circus Theatre
Amazing acrobatics from these stunning strolling players, from Acrojou Circus Theatre, performing street theatre of the highest calibre in stunningly designed costumes.
Akademi, Chol, Kazzum and Fittings are part of the decibel Performing Arts Showcase (15 - 18 September in Manchester), which promotes diverse practice in the performing arts sector by showcasing the work of some of England's most creative and talented artists and companies.
StopGAP, Marc Brew and Fittings are part of Without Walls, a UK wide consortium of eight street art festivals who commission new and original work for the great out doors.
http://www.withoutwalls.uk.com
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