Mamoru Iriguchi receives US invite
Published 30 March 2010
Mamoru Iriguchi presented PREGNANT?! at Greenroom in Manchester on Wednesday 16 September. His decibel performance has resulted in a four date UK tour this summer, and as well as an invite to perform in the USA.
PREGNANT?!, a multi-media performance work, began life as an idea pitched by Iriguchi at decibel 2007 in Birmingham. In the following two years the project developed into a tour-ready show, which he decided to bring back to showcase in 2009 with the aim of securing tour bookings.
A solo show brimming with tongue-in-cheek comedy, PREGNANT?! employs projectors and graphic animations with live performance. In doing so Iriguchi takes the audience on an “epic journey into overly intimate relationships with those closest to himself, including rabbits”.
The decibel performance in the intimate Greenroom was extremely well received. It resulted in a number of very positive tweets and a review by Jon Pratty of Disability Arts Online. This was syndicated to both the Guardian theatre blog and the Culture24 website.
Iriguchi says that the “very positive responses from decibel delegates” made him “feel very much confident to push forward to achieve the tour” as well as for his first international tour which he began in Manchester.
This positive response included bookings for UK tour this summer and a phone call from a programmer inviting Iriguchi to perform PREGNANT?! in the USA. Details will be confirmed soon. In the meantime, Iriguchi has also been invited to premiere a new work at the Plateaux Festival in Germany.
Tour Dates
PREGNANT?! 2009 International Tour
Dublin Fringe Festival (Project Arts Centre Upstairs, Dublin), September 2009
British Performance Festival (Performance Art Depot, Mainz, Germany) September 2009
PREGNANT?! 2010 UK Tour
Nottingham Playhouse, February 2010
The Junction, Cambridge, 3rd May 2010
The Bluecoat, Liverpool, 20th May 2010
New Wolsey, Ipswich, 4th June 2010
The Pound, Corsham, 26th June 2010 (TBC)
2010 US dates of PREGNANT?! + one-on-one short pieces
ARTISPHERE, 8, 10 and 11 October 2010
Into the Skirt 2010 Premiere
Plateaux Festival (Mousonturm, Frankfurt), 1st and 2nd May 2010
Links
Watch Mamoru Iriguchi perform PREGNANT?! at the Greenroom in Manchester
Visit Mamoru Iriguchi’s website
Media coverage
decibel launches Showcase Online
Published 15 March 2010
Taking place during March, April and May 2010, decibel Showcase Online gives the artists and delegates who attended the fourth decibel Performing Arts Showcase in 2009 a chance to re-live the experience. For those who were unable to attend, it provides an opportunity to enjoy these brilliant performances and pitches for the first time.
The central focus of Showcase online is video footage of the performances and discussions that took place in September. These are now hosted online on Vimeo. Every two weeks we will release videos from one day of the showcase. We are also uploading photographs of the showcase onto Flickr.
From the feedback we have received, it seems that one of the things artists and delegates most enjoyed about decibel Performing Arts Showcase 2009 was the opportunity to meet and network with like-minded people. Showcase Online now provides an opportunity to connect and engage through decibel’s pages on the social media sites Facebook and Twitter.
The showcase will take place across the following websites:
decibel Performing Arts Showcase website - the hub for all things decibel – news, videos, information and links.
Vimeo - decibel Performing Arts Showcase channel - full length videos of each performance.
Flickr – decibel Performing Arts Showcase' Photos from Manchester
Facebook – decibel Performing Arts Showcase fan page - links to videos, photos, performing arts news and diversity discussion. This will be your space for all decibel related discussion and news - please post any relevant news and information to the wall.
Twitter - @decibelshowcase - links to videos, performing arts news and diversity discussion. The best site for professional networking.
'No Idea' confirm UK tour
Published 15 March 2010
====Lisa Hammond and Rachael Spence performed 'No Idea' as a work in progress at decibel Performing Arts Showcase on Tuesday 15 September 2009. As a result, seven out of ten venues now-confirmed for their Spring/Summer UK tour were secured directly through decibel. Project Manager David Luff describes how decibel Showcase opened doors for the duo.====
"decibel Performing Arts Showcase was a rich and enjoyable experience. It gave us the opportunity to present a condensed 30 minute excerpt of our piece, 'No Idea' to a wide range of industry professionals from both the UK and overseas. We also had opportunities to meet other artists at meet-and-greet sessions and evening events and I felt we were part of an exciting artistic exchange of ideas.
"In many ways the profile of our piece was improved due to the experience of performing at decibel. When contacting venues following the festival, it was noticeably easier to confirm tour-dates. We had fantastic feedback for the show and for Lisa and Rachael. Furthermore we got a good review from an online magazine, which has been used to market the production.
"Following the Showcase, we booked a nine-venue UK tour for Spring/Summer 2010. Seven out of the nine venues were secured after representatives from the theatres watched the Showcase performance. All our venue partners have been incredibly supportive of the project, which I think was in part due to the great response we received at decibel.
"In addition, we have been lucky to receive tremendous support from Arts Council England. This was crucial for our realisation of the final piece, which will tour the UK this Spring and Summer (see below for dates). We have also received interest from a venue in the USA and we intend to pursue a US tour for 2011."
''''NO IDEA', UK Tour 2010'''
9-10 April artsdepot (previews)
15-17 April Royal Exchange Studio, Manchester
22-23 April Unity Theatre, Liverpool
25 April Greenwich Theatre
30 April Ludlow Assembly Rooms
5-8 May Drum Theatre, Plymouth Theatre Royal
11-12 May The Door, Birmingham Rep
14-15 May Mayfest, Bristol Old Vic Studio
21-31 July Young Vic Theatre
[http://www.decibelpas.com/en/showcase/performance/61 Contact Lisa Hammond and Rachel Spence]
Have your say until 14 April 2010
Published 14 March 2010
How will Arts Council England work to create positive change for the arts over the next 10 years? Join the debate...
Arts Council England is currently asking for views about future priorities for the arts – Achieving great art for everyone. This consultation looks at work with artists and arts organisations to create positive change for the arts over the next 10 years.
This is your chance to make your voice heard and to contribute.
Jon Pratty journalist and digital publishing specialist who currently manages Disability Arts Online shares his thoughts.
‘When you open the doors to unfettered creativity it hits you hard. At the Arts Council's Decibel09 Performing Arts Showcase in Manchester I saw stuff that blasted me against the back of the theatre with excellence, impact and inclusion……
…..we’re great at making arts, we’re not all great at recording what we do and telling our own stories and in a shrinking funding base you’ve got to make your mark.
Talent development now is not just about artists, or curators, or writers. It’s also about learning to make a fuss about our work.
If we develop these skills we’re serving our own strategic agendas, not just developing cool arts, but developing healthy and popular routes to audience and funder alike.’
Don’t miss the opportunity to read Jon’s full article and to share your views with the Arts Council about future priorities by visiting
www.artscouncil.org.uk/consultation
