The World in a Weekend
This August, the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance is offering North-East audiences a real bargain basement bonanza as they are selling tickets for their Billingham Weekender event from a fiver…it’s virtually a giveaway!
The World in a Weekend event is being staged at The Forum Theatre in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees on Friday, Saturday and Sunday 13th, 14th and 15th August.
“People are craving a return to the theatre and we are putting on an event that the whole family can afford. The Festival team just wants to see big smiles back on to people’s faces and what better way than enjoying the very best in international dance right here in Billingham,” said Olga Maloney, Artistic Director of the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance.
The World in a Weekend is being funded by Stockton‑on‑Tees Borough Council.
The events will take the form of matinee and evening performances so that the afternoon shows all fit around people’s nap times (for our young and older audience members 😊).
For the past two years the traditional annual Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance has been postponed due to funding and issues of Covid-19…but in 2021 we are trying to restore some can or normality with a mini-version aka the Billingham Weekender: The World in a Weekend.
The acts and countries being showcased include Lahing Kayumanggi Dance Company (The Philippines); Absolutely Legless (Ireland); Balbir Singh Dance Company (contemporary western dance and classical Indian Kathak); Talentos (Colombia); Discovery Highland Dancers (Scotland); Eliot Smith Dance Company (UK) performing “I Am Not An Indian Dancer?”; Kartveli (Georgia); an Iranian Lullaby by street dancer Bobak featuring Billingham dance-troupe Tapshoes & Tutus; and Don Japanese Taiko Drummers.
The matinees are stories from around the world, The Magic Bed is a lovely tale from India and the other story, The Man without a Heart originates from Scotland.
Festival For a Fiver* (or a tenner for adults) pricing explained:
The weekend shows are priced at individual matinee performances being Adults (£4) and Children (£2) with the curtain rising at 2pm.
Then the evening performances for ‘World in a Weekend’ Part 1 & Part 2 – tickets are priced at Adults (£6) and Children (£3) with the show commencing at 7.30pm.
So, a family of four could get a whole weekend of matinee performances for £24, and if they were hungry for more, then they could also collectively purchase weekend night-time shows for £36 – happy days.
Now that is a summer scorching deal!
Please note – Due to international travel restrictions currently in place, the Festival programming team haven’t been able to book dance companies from its usual worldwide selection. But that doesn’t matter as there is so much creativity and talent to choose from in the United Kingdom who specialise in a variety of global dance techniques.
The Friday (13th) will see audiences experience the latest collaboration between the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance and Balbir Singh Dance Company “The Two Fridas”, which is a dance-theatre production inspired by the life, times and work of iconic 20th Century female artists, Frida Kahlo (Mexico) and Amrita Sher-Gil (India/Hungary). This forms part of a North-East summer tour taking in outdoor and indoor venues in July and August.
The Two Fridas includes stunning costumes and sets accompanied by live music and on-stage painting by a local artist.
Tickets are priced at Adults (£15), Concessions (£12) and £6 (under 16s), and the show commences at 7.30pm.
The Two Fridas is being supported by Arts Council England.
The last two collaborations between Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance and Balbir Singh Dance Company to be staged at the complex, which houses the Forum Theatre saw near sell out performances, Synchronised and Peacock Lake.
People can buy tickets for The World in a Weekend and The Two Fridas through The Forum Theatre website www.forumtheatrebillingham.co.uk by telephone (01642) 552663, or in person from the Theatre’s box office (Monday – Saturday from 10am – 5pm).
Theatre address: Queensway, Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, TS23 2LJ.
There will be a limited number of theatre tickets on sale to ensure patron safety, as we are still operating social distancing spacing, and the wearing of masks is advisable.
With all of this in mind and due to the competitive nature of the prices we are expecting tickets to sell like hot cakes…so better get in there quick if you want to taste a splash of international dance theatre this summer.
Also, did we say that we are going to do a mini parade around Billingham Town Centre in the run up to the Billingham Weekender on Saturday 14th August at 1pm.
If all of that wasn’t enough there will be two free daily taster concerts being staged in the Town Centre on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
We hope this line up whets the cultural appetite of our Festival followers and new audience members experiencing the wonders of Billingham Folklore Festival for the first time…even if it is a condensed version of the original annual showcase event!