Adventure awaits you on the high seas…
Photograph used with the kind permission of MATE Productions.
Hold-fast and don your goggles as MATE Productions cast off and let loose their 2018 tour of a spectacular steampunk inspired re-imagining of Robert Louis Stephenson’s pirate epic. Directed and produced by MATE’s Artistic Director Gaynor La Rocca, with original live music by Taran Harris and stunning Victorian futuristic costume by Jane Allen, this nautical odyssey also boasts explosive percussion direction by Francisco Carrasco, exciting choreography and movement direction by Beverley Norris Edmonds, swashbuckling fight direction by British Equity Fight Director Renny Krupinski and a disreputable crew of marauders, actors, dancers, singer and musicians. This year’s buccaneering adventure promises to be another stunning hit and a thrilling voyage for all the family.
All hands will be on deck as they splice the main sail for the maiden voyage of this steampunk pirate spectacular on the 20th and 21st April at Liverpool’s Unity Theatre. The MATE ship will then travel on to tour parks, gardens and woodlands across Merseyside throughout June and July 2018, with its final port of call at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from the 11th–18th August.
Over 100 local community actors, dancers, musicians, singers, sewers, crafters, local steampunk enthusiasts and volunteers aged 8 –80+ years have been working for the past 6 months with MATE Productions’ team of professional practitioners to create an electrifying steampunk pirate spectacle that promises to be an unforgettable journey through uncharted waters.
Interns from LJMU and LIPA have gained invaluable practical experience assisting the production in costume design, stage management and marketing, and 30 GCSE photography students from The Prescot School are working with MATE’s design and media practitioners to gain Treasure Island inspired Bronze Arts Awards leadership qualifications. For younger buccaneers there are free pirate themed drama workshops in local schools, arts & crafts workshops in the community, and Liverpool’s Unity Theatre are working in partnership with MATE to create a pirate themed Splatterdays workshop before the matinee performance on Saturday 21st April for children aged 5-13. There will also be face painters at a number of shows and pirate dress up encouraged to fully immerse audiences into the world of Treasure Island!
So come dressed in your finest pirate regalia, board the Good Ship Hispaniola and join the quest of a lifetime to Treasure Island – X marks the spot!
Tour dates & venues:
Friday 20th April – 8pm – Unity Theatre, Hope Pl, Liverpool.
Saturday 21st April – 4pm & 8pm – Unity Theatre, Hope Pl, Liverpool.
Saturday 9th June – 4pm & 7pm – Prescot Woodland Theatre Church St, Prescot.
Sunday 10th June – 2pm – Reynolds Park, Church Rd, Liverpool.
Saturday 23rd June – 2pm – Sudley House gardens, Mossley Hill Road, Aigburth.
Saturday 30th June – 2pm – St James Gardens (Anglican Cathedral) St James Rd, Liverpool.
Sunday 1st July – 2pm & 7pm – St Nicholas Church gardens, Church Rd, Halewood.
Saturday 7th July – 2pm & 7pm – Croxteth Hall Walled Garden, Croxteth Hall Lane, Liverpool.
Sunday 8th July – 6pm – Ness Botanic Gardens, Ness, CH64 4AY
Saturday 14th July – 2pm & 7pm – Prescot Woodland Theatre, Church St, Prescot.
Monday 13th-Saturday 18th August – the Space Triplex, Edinburgh Fringe, Edinburgh.
Information and tickets:
Unity Theatre tickets are available from
www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk, from the Box office or telephone 0151 709 4988.
For all other venues book online via:
Or call Ticket Quarter: 0844 8000 410
£12 adults, £8 children, £30 for a family (2 adults & 2 children).
Seating will be provided in Prescot and Halewood, for other outdoor venues feel free to bring a camping chair or picnic blanket. Refreshments will be on sale.
Please dress for the weather (waterproof your bandanas), performances will go ahead come rain, shine or mutiny!