Our award-winning artistic collaboration takes British young people’s theatre to an international audience…
We’ve joined forces with children’s puppetry company Theatre-Rites once again to revive our 2016 award-winning show The Broke ‘N’ Beat Collective – a unique mash up of hip-hop, theatre and puppetry.
The collaboration, winner of the ASSITEJ Young Critics Award* last year, is being presented at The Bristol Festival of Puppetry and the annual Ruhrtriennale Music and Arts Festival in Germany, this September. This marks Theatre-Rites’ 3rd collaboration with the Ruhrtriennale and is the first international presentation of work by 20 Stories High.
The Broke ‘N’ Beat Collective takes the form of a live gig. Gritty, moving and funny, it combines gripping tales, transfixing poetry, and is animated with imaginative hip-hop puppetry, to explore the hardships young people currently face in the UK.
Building on the initial success and incredible reception from young audiences in the UK, Keith Saha (Co-Writer and Co-Artistic Director of 20 Stories High) said:
“20 Stories High has been making work by and for young people in Liverpool for over 10 years and we’ve been honoured to share their stories and voices on the national stage over that time. Taking this show to Germany offers us a unique opportunity to extend our dialogue with young people to an international audience, allowing them to explore and express their concerns, hopes and fears in a post-Brexit Europe.”
And Sue Buckmaster (Co-Writer and Artistic Director, Theatre-Rites) agrees:
“Theatre-Rites has benefited from a strong international presence. We know that artistic collaboration strengthens political, community and cultural exchange and is increasingly important in a politically divided Europe. We are delighted to be making a first visit to the Bristol Festival of Puppetry and to be returning to the Ruhrtriennale Festival for the third time.”
Described as ‘breathtakingly inventive’ (The Times) and with ‘beautiful storytelling told with passion and energy’ (Sound and Vision), the show brings together four acclaimed artists: beat-boxer Hobbit, b-boy Ryan LoGisTic Harston, singer/poet Elektric and puppeteer Mohsen Nouri to form The Broke ‘N’ Beat Collective.
The revival takes place as Theatre-Rites celebrates 21 years of high quality cross art-form theatre for young audiences. It also follows a hugely successful year for both companies that has included highly celebrated work including: The Welcoming Party (a Theatre-Rites co-production with Manchester International Festival, Z-Arts and the Ruhrtriennale Festival) and She’s Leaving Home (20 Stories High with Phelim McDermott) part of Sergeant Pepper at 50, Liverpool’s extraordinary celebration of the seminal Beatles’ album, and a television broadcast of ‘I Told My Mum I Was Going on an R.E. Trip…’ (20 Stories High and Contact, Manchester) this autumn as part of the BBC Performance Live series.
* ASSITEJ On The Edge Festival of Theatre for Young Audiences Young Critics Award 2016
