Liverpool’s historic Chinese culture will be celebrated and showcased through a range of events organised by Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse. Chinese New Year Spring Festival joins the sold-out production Shore to Shore (19th and 20th March), as part of a wider project by the theatres to engage with Chinese communities in the region.
Confucius Institute’s Chinese New Year Spring Festival takes place from 8th-10th February, in association with Everyman & Playhouse, to celebrate Chinese New Year 2019 – the year of the Pig.
The weekend of events begins with a free Chinese New Year Spring Festival Showcase on Friday 8th February. Organised by the Confucius Institute in partnership with Everyman & Playhouse, young people from local schools across Liverpool will perform music, song, dance and physical theatre alongside professional Chinese artists.
They will be performing alongside participants of a Chinese Physical Theatre project, China Peaks, commissioned by Culture Liverpool. Fusing everything from Chinese Opera to modern hip hop dance, China Peaks brings young British and Chinese people together to take audiences on a journey from ancient Chinese dynasties to modern day China.
In a spectacle of costume, music and dance, participants will perform in handmade costumes and to music commissioned by Culture Liverpool. The group will be performing across the city in multiple events during the city-wide celebrations.
Rebecca Ross-Williams, engagement director at Everyman Playhouse, said, “It is a privilege to showcase China’s vibrant and beautiful arts and culture for Chinese New Year 2019. Through our work with Liverpool Confucius Institute, Pagoda Arts and Culture Liverpool, we are very excited to once again work with Chinese artists and young people from across Liverpool, as part of this year’s exciting programme.”
All events are part of Liverpool’s celebrations for Chinese New Year in the city. Full details are available at: https://www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/cny/.
Chinese New Year Spring Festival Showcase
Date: Friday 8th February
Time: 2-4pm
Venue: Liverpool Playhouse
China Peaks performance dates and times
Friday 8th February, 2pm, Playhouse Chinese New Year Spring Festival Celebration
Sunday 10th February, 2pm, Pagoda Arts
Sunday 10th February, 4.30pm, Culture Liverpool stage China Town
Street performances featuring China Peaks participants on stilts will open the Lumiere events at the Chinese Arch on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th February, 7pm – 7.30pm and Sunday 10th February, 6-6.30pm.
Chinese showcase of traditional and contemporary performing arts
Date: Sunday 10th February
Time: 3-4.30pm
Venue: China town stage 3.40-4.45pm
A showcase of traditional and contemporary music, dance and song by Chinese students on stage and demonstrations.
Workshop sessions in Chinese calligraphy and handicrafts will also take place during Chinese New Year celebrations from 12-5pm in Chinatown
Organised by Culture Liverpool, Everyman & Playhouse and Liverpool Confucius Institute.