LIFT, the leading London biennial festival of international performance, has confirmed its 2024 programme…
LIFT 2024 is the second festival presented by Artistic Director and CEO Kris Nelson. Featuring three World Premieres, two UK Premieres and one London premiere, the international festival imports work from Canada, Taiwan, Ivory Coast, France, Italy, Cape Verde, Portugal, Brazil, Iran and Palestine, to connect Londoners with global experiences, uniting audiences and artists alike across borders.
Kris Nelson, Artistic Director and CEO of LIFT:
“LIFT 2024 will take you on journeys that are deep and personal. It’s a festival that will catch your breath, spark your mind and rev your imagination. There’s adrenaline too. It’s international theatre for your gut. In this year’s festival, The Personal is Epic. Personal accounts of justice, exile and protest take on mythic proportions through barrier-breaking storytelling. LIFT artists will show us Play Is Not a Distraction. They’ll reveal hidden depths beneath surface-level fun and humour, whilst offering feasts for the mind and plunging you into sensation.
“For this edition, we’ve been focusing on creating opportunities for Londoners to work with international artists in dynamic collaborations – from building shows from the ground up to exploring Concept Touring models between here and abroad. These commissions are surrounded by some truly iconic presentations. It’s all in a climate of funding scarcity and aversion to risk. We’ve got faith though, and we couldn’t do it without the fearlessness of these artists, the shared vision of our presenting and commissioning partners and the support of our core funders Arts Council England, City of London Corporation among many others.”
LIFT will be accessible to audiences across the city, from Southbank Centre, to the Old Bailey to Brixton House. All LIFT 2024 shows have an allocation of £5 tickets available for people on low incomes.
Highlights include Cliff Cardinal’s ‘The Land Acknowledgement or As You Like It’ upturns one of the Bard’s most loved comedies while ‘An Evening at the Bat Night Market’ becomes an exploration of global food shortages. Nadia Beugré’s sensuous exploration of masculinity is presented through dance in L’Homme Rare.
The halls of justice are brought to Brixton House for The Trials and Passions of Unfamous Women, created by Janaina Leite and Lara Duarte in association with Clean Break. Bacchae: Prelude to a Perge at Sadler’s Wells sees a fusion of funk, pop and Bolero mixed with clown antics. The full line up can be seen below…
Kris Nelson, Artistic Director and CEO of LIFT:
”LIFT 2024 is the result of the care, determination and expertise of a lot of incredible people, and I write this on behalf of our amazing team, crew, trustees and volunteers past and present who’ve made this edition what it is. It’s a festival full of divergent perspectives, difference and complex cultural conversations. That’s what LIFT is here to do. We invite you to come together in spaces where theatre will connect you to daring ideas and voices of our times and with each other in a place where you can share, disagree, experience together a festival rich in experiences and ideas.
”We’re making this festival during a complex global moment; amidst a climate crisis, a cost of living crisis and war and turmoil in a number of global regions. LIFT’s aim is and always has been to champion international perspectives, to amplify lesser heard voices, and to be a place that can hold diverse experiences and points of view. That includes internally as a team and organisation, and amongst our audiences, whilst respecting and caring for each other as a priority. In that spirit and taking all those things to heart – we wish you a powerful festival experience full of discovery and dialogue.”
The Land Acknowledgement or As You Like It – London premiere
Southbank Centre- Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall
5 – 7 June, 8pm
8 – 9 June, 3pm
Democracy From Where I Stand
The Dutch Church, City of London
8 June, 7pm
Bat Night Market – World Premiere
Science Gallery London
11 June – 14 June, 7pm & 15 June, 2pm
BSL performance 15 June
L’Homme Rare – UK Premiere
Southbank Centre: Queen Elizabeth Hall
12 – 13 June, 7.30pm
Post show talk: 12 June
Audio Description available: 13 June
The Trials and Passions of Unfamous Women – World Premiere
Brixton House
14 June – 22 June 19:30
19 & 22 June 2pm
Press night: 17 June
Bacchae: Prelude to a Purge – UK Premiere
Sadler’s Wells Theatre
18 June – 19 June, 19:30
Post show talk: Tuesday 18 June
L’Animale – UK Premiere
Old Bailey, City of London
22 – 23 June 2pm & 4pm
ECHO (Every Cold-Hearted Oxygen) – World Premiere
The Royal Court Theatre
13 July – 27 July 6.30pm/7pm/7:30pm
Matinee performances: Sat 20 July & 27 July, 1.30 & Thurs 25 July, 2.30
Press night: 17 July 7:00pm
Post show talk: 18 July
Captioned and Relaxed Performances – 18 July, 7:30pm & 27 July, 1:30pm
