2018 Hodgkiss Award Winners are bringing their new heart-warming multi-art form piece to The Studio
Launched by the Royal Exchange Theatre and Susan Hodgkiss, the Hodgkiss Award was designed to find and support ambitious new theatre made by an artist or company from the North of England. In partnership with The Yard Theatre and ARC Stockton, the 2018 Hodgkiss Award was presented to 154 Collective, an international group of theatre makers, visual artists, animators, musicians & writers. Their original, thought-provoking theatre piece WRESTLING THE WALRUS will run from 28 June – 6 July in The Studio.
Dan Mallaghan, founding member of 154 Collective and WRESTLING THE WALRUS’ writer and director, said:
‘Winning the Hodgkiss Award with 154 Collective is just amazing – I keep pinching myself. Quite simply, the work we want to make, the ambition of it, just can’t be realised without this kind of support. It’s not just the recognition that such an award brings, the financial backing, or the creative and technical support we will get from the artists at Royal Exchange. But simply the license and encouragement from the awards panel that says “go for it – be ambitious!”
The result is we get to make Wrestling the Walrus, a story we are very passionate about. It will be a tender and heartfelt feast for all the senses; with live lyrical music, projected film and animations and performance all blended together to tell a beautiful story of two people trying to reconnect after their world is turned upside down.’
Following its premiere at the Royal Exchange, WRESTLING THE WALRUS will transfer to both ARC Stockton (9 – 10 Jul) and The Yard Theatre (16 – 18 Jul) allowing the work further development, audience and critical reach.
154 Collective is made up of Writer & Director Dan Mallaghan; Art Director & Animator Fabric Lenny; Production Designer Hannah Sibai; Composers/ Musicians Hayley Youell, James Dey & Nick Lewis; Animators Matthew Watkins & Jonathan Grauel; Filmmaker & Photographer Yvonne Roberts; Lighting Designer Chris Withers; and creative producer Ben Rothera.
A Royal Exchange Theatre and 154 Collective co-production
WRESTLING THE WALRUS
28 June – 6 July 2019 at the at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
9 – 10 July 2019 at ARC Stockton
16 – 18 July 2019 at The Yard Theatre
Royal Exchange Press Night: Monday 1 July 2019, 7.30pm in THE STUDIO
Age Guidance: 14+
