Organisers of the annual LGBT+ festival Homotopia have today revealed a jam-packed and eclectic programme for 2018 when the festival returns to take over the city from Friday 2nd November – Saturday 1st December
First launched in 2004, Homotopia celebrates local, national and international LGBT+ arts and culture. Theatre, contemporary dance, visual art, music, debate, youth and community participation, heritage and film all form part of the diverse programme from one of the key cultural festivals in the region.
Highlights for this year include shows from cult legend John Waters; Ru Paul favourite Jinkx Monsoon; LGBT+ activist and performance artist Travis Alabanza; artist Scottee; and collaborative exhibition Threesome.
The month-long festival kicks off in extraordinary fashion on Friday 2nd November with the Homotopia Festival Launch Party. The free event at Hinterlands will include entertainment from House of Suarez and Ashleigh Owen, as well as top DJ’s to keep guests dancing until the early hours.
Theatre has a strong presence on this year’s programme with something on offer for all.
Dietrich: Natural Duty the intoxicating one-(wo)man show comes to Unity Theatre on Tuesday 6th November direct from Edinburgh Fringe. An intoxicating mixture of theatre, cabaret and drag revealing the life of the legend Marlene Dietrich.
Get a first glimpse of Love The Life You Live, Live The Life You Love in an exclusive scratch performance at Unity Theatre on Wednesday 7th November.
Do not miss the immersive show Rent Party also at Unity Theatre on Wednesday 7th November. Winning a string of 5* reviews this part show, part party is inspired by the 1920s Harlem Renaissance rent parties.
Emerging LGBT+ artists and performers will present a collection of fresh and exciting performances at Homotopia’s Emerging Talent: Scratch Night at Unity Theatre on Saturday 10th November.
A sensory and immersive exploration of the world of conversion therapy and gay exorcism is brought to the Unity Theatre stage on Tuesday 13th – Wednesday 14th November in Mina, an innovative retelling of Nataly Lebouleux’s award-wining film Paper Thin.
Theatre meets the fabulous world of Vogue dance culture on Thursday 15th – Friday 16th November when Fittings Multimedia Arts present the U.K. premiere of Mop The House: A Short Guide To Vogue, at Unity Theatre.
Alabanza, one of the U.K.’s prominent trans voices, presents Burgerz – a powerful piece of theatre exploring the way trans people are seen in society and dissected in public, coming to Hope Street Theatre on Sunday 18th November.
Ru Paul’s Drag race favourite Jinkx Monsson comes to The Epstein Theatre on Wednesday 21st November with lyrical genius Major Scales in their new tour The Ginger Snapped – a witty, biting look at the dark side of Drag fame.
One woman show Alaska from writer, poet and performer Cheryl Martin will take audiences on a funny, magical trip to the moon. One woman’s extraordinary story of how she survived growing up with severe depression comes to Open Eye Gallery on Friday 23rd November.
Vaudeville and cabaret are also on the Homotopia bill with a fabulous selection of variety entertainment – including a headline performance from John Waters who comes to Liverpool in his only live U.K. performance of the year. The director, screenwriter, author, actor, stand-up comedian and all-round cult legend will present his one-man show – John Waters: This Filthy World at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on Saturday 10th November.
In the build-up to John Water’s performance, don not miss Eat Me #10: A Commiseration of John Waters: A Life in Bad Taste on Friday 9th November – a drag dinner cabaret extravaganza filled with debauchery, deviance and depravity. Then dance late in to the night with the disco after party Preach.
Other cabaret highlights include comedy Hip, Hip I’m Gay! at Unity Theatre on Friday 9th November which follows real-life stories of “coming out”; and Kings and Queens of The Underworld featuring all the charm and eccentricity of classic vaudeville, on Sunday 25th November at Constellations.
The work of 28 artists are brought together in Gay of the Dead, the first of 5 exhibitions throughout the festival. Honouring LGBT+ lives lost to hate crime worldwide, it opens at The Black-E on Saturday 3rd – Sunday 4th November.
Threesome, a collaborative exhibition exploring the creative relationships of three renowned lesbian painters Sadie Lee, Roxana Halls and Sarah Jane Moon is on display at The Gallery from Sunday 4th November – Sunday 2nd December.
Two collections of works will feature at Open Eye Gallery championing every person’s right and freedom to choose who they love; Where Love Is Illegal and Ren Hang will be open from Saturday 17th November.
Tales From The City continues at the Museum of Liverpool, with over 200,000 visitors since its launch during last year’s festival.
The festival also presents a dance double-bill! The first, Rockbottom on Wednesday 14th November sees successful performer Stuart Waters make his debut as an independent artist in this moving self-portrait dance solo. Then on Saturday 17th November a dance show about flab, double chins and getting your kit off in public comes to Unity Theatre with Scottee: Fat Blokes.
There will also be an exciting collection of talks, workshops and participation events throughout the festival.
Other festival highlights include Queercentric Music Night at District on Thursday 22nd November. Liverpool Queer Collective present a night of sumptuous music and spoken word from LGBT+ musicians and artists.
Homotopia will be supporting a World AIDS Day Vigil taking place in the Concert Room at St George’s Hall on Saturday 1st December; featuring speeches, poetry recitals and moments of remembrance for those who have lost their lives from HIV.
For more information, venues, prices and times, go to www.homotopia.net, face book: Homotopia Arts and on Twitter @homotopiafest.