(posted 7476 days ago)BBC News: Entertainment: Arts
Disabled arts festival for London
The biggest arts festival of disabled artists and performers ever held in the UK begins in London this weekend.The second Xposure Festival features the première of a new play by actor Simon Startin, as well as a Sadler's Wells concert by Anjali Dance Company.
More than 40 performances will be held over November at nine London venues.
"It's about throwing new perspectives on the world, being challenging and thought provoking," said festival manager Patricia Place.
One of the festival's highlights is the world premiere of Startin's debut play Revolting, which has been funded by the Arts Council.
The play is a black comedy about a man who is reincarnated through history with a different disability each time.
The play starts on 5 November at Jacksons Lane arts centre in Archway, north London.
Startin has recently appeared in Sherlock Holmes at The Royal Exchange in Manchester.
Anjali Dance Theatre will perform their new piece WYSIWYG at Sadler's Wells in central London on 13 November.
Artist Adam Shingler is exhibiting Only Smarties Have the Answer, which satirised his own experiences as a schizophrenic, at the Diorama in Euston.
The festival aims to publicise the legal requirements for disabled access to arts venues such as West End theatres as part of International Year of Disabled People, which is celebrated this year.
Disabled performers have said the law does not go far enough because many theatres have stairs between dressing rooms and stages, making it difficult for disabled actors in wheelchairs to get access.
Other venues showing performances include Oval House Theatre in Kennington, Stratford's East London Dance, Croydon Clocktower and Byam Shaw School of Art at Archway.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/entertainment/arts/3230649.stmPublished: 2003/10/31 13:41:34 GMT
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