Derby Theatre hosts cabaret show to celebrate easing of lockdown

Derby Rises will be staged at Derby Theatre on September 27, bringing together newly commissioned artistic pieces of work and community-based workshops.

The artists who will perform on the evening, and those involved at the workshop stage, are: Jamie Thrasivoulou (an award-winning writer, poet, lyricist, and educator from Derby); Amy Pennington (an artist who makes work using humour to connect human experiences and socio-political issues); Symoné (a hula hoop artiste, dancer, rollerskater and Vaudeville Dynamo) and Mr Supreme (a rap artist based in the East Midlands).

During the evening, each artist will perform their short response piece and a performance poet will share a new creation inspired by the words displayed on a Graffiti Wall. The Graffiti Wall will be on Cathedral Green in the city where members of the public can write down their thoughts and dreams for their respective communities post-lockdown, from September 21 to 26.

Sinfonia VIVA, an award-winning orchestra from Derby, will provide a string quartet to play a short set at the show and Derby Jazz, who support and develop jazz in the city, will also perform.

The performance, starting at 7.30pm, will be in front an invited audience and streamed online.

Derby Rises is a citywide version of the Bakery of Slow Ideas; a community art practice created by Leo Kay from London-based Unfinished Business.

Leo said: “Derby Rises is about inspiring and enabling conversations within and across various different communities in Derby. It’s about local artists strengthening their connections with the communities they make work with and for. It’s about sharing creative practice and life experience in search of better ways to move forward together as we continue to face the challenges posed by Covid-19.”

Since early July, Leo, Derby CAN (Creative Arts Network) Partners and the commissioned artists have collaborated with the following groups through workshops: the LGBTQ+ community; the New Arrivals, Asylum Seekers and Refugee community and a newly formed group who identify as Working Class.

The workshops explore each group’s response to the pandemic and their hopes for their city.

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