Eighteen months after their last live performance, Middle Child will return to the stage this month with a brand-new cabaret, performed outdoors in Queen’s Gardens.
we used to be closer than this is a cabaret of songs about reconnecting, written by Natasha Brown, Angelo Irving, Tabby Lamb, Jay Mitra, RashDash, Leo Skilbeck, Kobby Taylor and Tom Wells, with original live music by James Frewer.
The show will celebrate people coming together again, in-person, after the series of lockdowns that have closed many performance spaces and moved much of theatre online.
It will be performed at Absolutely Cultured’s Creative Hull festival, from 16-18 July, with BSL-interpreted performances on Saturday 17 July.
Paul Smith, Middle Child artistic director, said: “we used to be closer than this brings together a diverse group of writers, from a variety of backgrounds, to stage a summer cabaret that asks how we can reconnect with each other.
“We have all gone through different experiences over the past year, and this is our way of sharing some of those stories, while celebrating what we love most about live performance – bringing people together, in the same space.
“Lockdown took this away from us, but now we’re back and we can’t wait to celebrate with a Hull audience in-person.”
Middle Child last took to the stage with The Canary and the Crow at London’s Arcola Theatre, in February 2020.
The show, written by Daniel Ward with music by Prez 96 and James Frewer, has since earned its writer and cast multiple awards, including the George Devine Award for most promising playwright.
The cast of we used to be closer than this start rehearsals today in Princes Quay and pay what you can tickets are available now, from the Absolutely Cultured website.
Capacity is limited with socially distanced tables seating four people each, so audiences are encouraged to attend with their household, family or with friends.
See absolutelycultured.co.uk for more details about the show and to buy tickets, or visit middlechildtheatre.co.uk for more information about the company.
we used to be closer than this is supported by Absolutely Cultured, Arts Council England and the Cultual Recovery Fund.