5 - 9 May | Political Theatre Season

Under 23?You can get tickets for the festival shows for just £5! There’s a limited number for each show so when they’re gone, they’re gone! Don’t miss out!

This election week we’ve teamed up with producers China Plate to bring you exceptional theatre and debate going beyond party politics and deep into the issues we really care about.

Alongside this we’ll be presenting4 brand new short pieces from our favourite Liverpool voices: The Ballot Box Ballads.

Tue 5 May : Book both shows for £15!

Sheriff presents

Our Main Story Tonight

Fresh, responsive and immediate theatre inspired by the major news story of the week.

A play made with the intensity of the newsroom with its finger on the pulse of the city and the world around us.

Join us for our opening unmissable election week show!

Sheriff is run by Nick Walker.

Backstage in Biscuit Land

The Guardian

Total Theatre Award Winner

Jess has Tourettes, a condition that makes her say ‘biscuit’ 16,000 times a day. Her neurology gives her a unique perspective on life; one she’s about to unleash on the world.

Weaving comedy, puppetry and incredible tics to explore spontaneity, disability, and thingsyou never knew would make you laugh.Co-Creators - Jess Thom, Jess Mabel JonesMatthew Pountney | Produced by Jolie Booth and Matthew Pountney | Supported by Unlimited, Graeae & BAC.

7pm | £12 (£10 conc) 8:30pm | £12 (£10 conc)

Keeping Things PC (Politically Confused) by Aimee Marnell, Chloe Nezianya & Jahnay Dalrymple

Included with Our Main Story Tonight | Ballot Box Ballad: Political short commissioned by Unity Theatre

With the general election fast approaching, hear the thoughts and fears of 3 young women as they embark on their first ever voting experience. Political confusion gone mad! Aimee, Chloe and Jahnay were all membersof Unity Youth Theatre and continue to study performance/arts in Liverpool.

Pre -Show

Wed 6 May : Book both shows for £15!

Confirmation

The Guardian Time Out

The Times Independent

2014 Fringe First award-winning show

If you pinned me against a wall, I’d probablyadmit to being a liberal.

An attempt to have an honourable dialogue(real and imagined) with political extremism,and examine the mental processes governing our deepest beliefs.

Written and performed by Chris Thorpe. Developed with and directed by Rachel Chavkin (The TEAM). Presented by Warwick Arts Centre and China Plate. Commissioned by Northern Stage and Battersea Arts Centre.

#TORYCORE

‘This noise pierced the festering sense of injustice within me and set me on fire.’whatsonstage.com

Doom metal combines with the Budget speech 2015; a pounding subverbal deathgrowl with text samples from the blue suits at Tory HQ.

#TORYCORE is twisted avant-garde vocal that plays like a verbatim record of a government ripping society’s guts out.

Chris Thorpe and Steve Lawson on guitar, Lucy Ellinson on vocals with lyrics by George Osborne and the Architects of Austerity.

7pm | £12 (£10 conc) 9:30pm | £12 (£10 conc)

Fringe First

Supernatural Violence by Chris Fittock

Included with Confirmation | Ballot Box Ballad: Political short commissioned by Unity Theatre

Meet the politics of supernatural violence. Quiet poverty haunts our streets: the spectre of austerity, a ghost of slow decay, is creeping doorsills and devouring kitchens while we sleep. Chris is Associate Artist at Tmesis Theatre, Director of the Theatre in the Rough Festival, and is published by Nick Hern.

Pre -Show

Thu 7 May : All Tickets £5

Unheard Party

If you’re not 18 by today you don’t get a vote and your voice won’t be heard by the politicians.

So what would you have said?

Liverpool’s youth theatres are taking a stand and making their voices heard with fresh and vibrant performances.

Featuring award-winning Daniel Bye’s rolling rapid-response performance The Evening News.

This performance will be streamed online in association with Liverpool Live TV.Created with Daniel Bye for Unity Theatre.

7pm | £5

World Premiere

Animals by 20 Stories High, directed by Keith Saha

Included with Unheard Party | Ballot Box Ballad: Political short commissioned by Unity Theatre

The stories of young adults who have given up on society and earn their living through illegal means. Told through vivid storytelling, poetry, movement, mask and live music. The award-winning 20 Stories High have a passion for pushing boundaries to create dynamic, challenging theatre for new, young and diverse audiences.

Pre -Show

Big Society The Musical a film by First Take A film set in coalition Britain. Amidst the crisis of capitalism, the government launches their flagship idea: ‘The Big Society’. In Liverpool, Connor, a disillusioned 15 year old sits alone in his cell. He understands the lie: We’re not ‘all in this together. Sat 2 May | 7:30pm | £3

What If by Collective Encounters Democracy is dying, but can it be saved? Short promenade show. Tue 5 May | 6.30pm | Free

You Decide Debates in association with Liverpool Live TV. Question Time with a creative twist. Can art influence politics? Wed 29 Apr | 6pm | Free

Festival Extras

Fri 8 May : Book both shows for £15!

Early Days (Of A Better Nation)

“I play it as if it’s real – and that’s exactly how it feels. For two hours, I lose myself in the show...the future of British theatre...’The Guardian

The war is over and the nation lies in ruins. You and your fellow survivors must build the beginnings of a new country. A piece of interactive theatre for a playing audience, explores the possibilities of nationhood and democracy. Created by Coney. Co-commissioned by Warwick Arts Centre, National Theatre Wales and Battersea Arts Centre

Jonny & The Baptists: Rock The Vote

‘Politically engaged... riotously silly.. triumphant’The Guardian

The UK’s hottest musical comedians Jonny & The Baptists bring their unique blend of songs, satire and silliness to tackle the big issues of the 2015 General Election and finally crack this democracy thing once and for all.

From the multi-award-nominated stars of The Now Show!

7pm | £12 (£10 conc) 10pm | £12 (£10 conc)

Comedy

Interactive

Five Giants by Joe Ward Munroe

Included with Early Days | Ballot Box Ballad: Political short commissioned by Unity Theatre

As the Job Centre clock ticks by, Jim fights back the memories from his time in Afghanistan and begins to wonder just who and what he was fighting for. Joe Ward Munrow is an award-winning Liverpool based playwright. His previous work includes Held, The Laundry and Mind the Gap.

Pre -Show

Sat 9 May : Book both shows for £15!

Every Brilliant Thing

Edinburgh Festival hit show.

‘one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see’ The Guardian

‘bout as brilliant as theater can get’Talkin’ Broadway

You’re six years old. Mum’s in hospital. Dad says she’s ‘done something stupid’. So you start to make a list of everything that’s brilliantabout the world.

Everything that’s worth living for1. Ice Cream 2. Kung Fu Movies3. Laughing so you shoot milk out your nose4. Construction cranes5. MeWritten by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe. A Pentabus production in co-production with Paines Plough

Sheriff & Ballot Box Ballad Redux Our closing election night show combining the intensity of the newsroom mixed with cutting political satire.

Sheriff is a theatre company that responds to the major news stories of the day. Each play is created in the immediate run up to the show and deals with whatever news is preoccupying the country that week.

Almost certainly be focusing on the general election, but what other stories will serve as the subplot, or are big enough to topple the election off the front pages, we won’t know until the day.

Accompanied by the finale of a week of new writing through the Ballot Box Ballads Redux.

7pm | £12 (£10 conc) 8:30pm | £12 (£10 conc)

From New York!

A private company limited by guarantee number 3333987 | Registered charity number 1062 463

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boxoffice: 0844 873 2888unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk