CURVE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
SAT 25 JUL 2020
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Happy Saturday and welcome to your weekly newsletter from Curve. We hope this finds you, your family and loved ones well.
It has been another week of mixed feelings across our city and industry. At home, our thoughts are still very much with everyone who lives and works in Leicester and is continuing to feel the devastating effects of the extended local lockdown. Despite this, we are truly inspired by the ongoing resilience and determination of our local communities and we stand proudly with all of you.
This spirit has been highlighted in a new message of unity from local MPs Claudia Webbe MP (Leicester East), Jon Ashworth MP (Leicester South) and Liz Kendall MP (Leicester West). Their key message is ‘Together We Can Get Through This‘, and we are delighted to share their video and words at the end of this week’s update.
In Leicester and beyond, the theatre industry continues to wait for updates and decision-making around funding and the government’s arts support package. In light of this, heartbreaking decisions are being made across the UK and we extend our love and solidarity to our friends at Sheffield Theatres and York Theatre Royal, among others, who have made difficult announcements this week.
Yet optimism and hope for the arts continues to simmer, with Andrew Lloyd Webber staging COVID-safe pilot performances at the London Palladium this week. If they are proven to be successful, the project could be a real game-changer for our industry in working towards a safe re-opening. We give our biggest thanks to The Lord and his team for driving this forward, on behalf of all of us who love theatre.
Back at home, we’re thrilled to share that we are one of eight partner venues for Graeae‘s latest initiative, BEYOND. The scheme is designed to support d/Deaf, hard-of-hearing and Disabled artists across the North of England and the Midlands, providing tools and a safe space to create new work. Find out more about the scheme and how to apply below.
Curve Associate Artist and Lighting Designer Ben Cracknell gives us insight into his world in this week’s episode of Curve in Conversation. Ben is a regular collaborator at Curve, having painted many astonishingly beautiful images with light on our stages, including My Beautiful Laundrette, Sunset Boulevard and more.
Our Creative Commentary insights continue with fellow Curve Associate Artist and Composer Tasha Taylor Johnson, who takes us on the journey to creating the sounds of the savannah for Giraffes Can’t Dance in our latest video and blog. This is an ideal watch and read for any families who love playing with sounds and enjoy music.
Our friends at Hanuman Tales also have a treat for families this week with their new online film, Indra & The Amrit. The fun digital short mixes traditional and non-traditional artforms to create a unique retelling of a classic Hindu tale.
Finally, we have been moved and uplifted by a collection of beautiful messages we’ve received from friends of the theatre this week; click here to watch. On behalf of Team Curve, we give our biggest thanks to everyone who contributed a message, and to Curve regular Andy who curated the video. It’s a genuinely heart-warming and incredibly generous gesture – it really does mean the world to all of us. We cannot wait to welcome you all back home to Curve as soon as possible.
Thank you again to each and every one of you, Leicester City Council and Arts Council England for your continued support.
As ever,
Chris & Nikolai
Coronavirus advice from Leicester City Council
Find the latest information and advice on the coronavirus restrictions in Leicester on Leicester City Council’s website at leicester.gov.uk/coronavirus. You can also sign up to receive regular updates from the council at leicester.gov.uk/yourleicester.
The current advice is to stay at home as much as possible, keep washing your hands and stay 2m apart from others when you do go out. As of Fri 24 Jul, it is also mandatory to wear a face covering when visiting enclosed public spaces, and you can find the full guidance here.
If you have symptoms of coronavirus, get tested.
THE SHOW MUST GO ON-LINE
New creative development programme from Graeae
We are proud to be a partner venue on BEYOND – a new creative development programme from our friends at Graeae supporting d/Deaf, hard-of-hearing and Disabled artists in the North of England & Midlands with space, time, resources and mentoring.Applications are now open, so visit the link below to find out more and go BEYOND!
Curve in Conversation with Ben Cracknell
Award-winning Lighting Designer and Curve Associate Artist Ben Cracknell discusses his extensive career in our latest episode of Curve in Conversation.
From illuminating our Made at Curve productions of My Beautiful Laundrette and An Officer and a Gentleman – The Musical, to casting light on the Palladium panto in London, tune in to find out more about life behind the lighting desk.
Giraffes Can't Dance: The Making of the Soundtrack
Did you find your groove with Gerald and friends at the great jungle dance?
Find out how Curve Associate Artist Tasha Taylor Johnson created the soundtrack for our Made at Curve family production of Giraffes Can’t Dance in our new video and blog.
A fun, free and interactive online tale from Hanuman Tales
Indra & The Amrit is a family-friendly, short film from the team behind Hanuman Moves a Mountain and Attempts to Eat the Sun.
Cursed and having lost all of his power, Indra must lead the Heavenly Devas in working with the Demonic Asuras to restore balance.
Together they must churn a cosmic ocean to release the nectar of immortality, the Amrit. Will Indra succeed in creating balance, or will he be too greedy?
Combining traditional and non-traditional artforms including kathak, puppetry and tabla-playing, click the link below to watch the film on the The Cockpit‘s website.
TOGETHER WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS
Leicester MPs come together in solidarity during Leicester Lockdown
With the continued lockdown in Leicester, local MPs Claudia Webbe MP (Leicester East), Jon Ashworth MP (Leicester South) and Liz Kendall MP (Leicester West) have come together in unity to bring a video message of support for all residents affected by Coronavirus.
Speaking of the video, Claudia said: “The message of the video is clear; that the extended period of lockdown has been a real challenge for all of us, yet when we stand united, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish. By standing together, rejecting those who seek to divide our communities, and following all the health advice – we will defeat this virus, and a brighter future will be in reach.”