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[title]After a difficult period for artists, performers and creators over lockdown, Refract Festival is back for its fifth outing to show that live art has lost none of its enthusiasm.
For ten days at the end of July, Waterside will be hosting over 20 events, a mix of dance, comedy, drama, music and family events, with much of the festival free.
Here's our pick of the best of the fest.
Families
Waterside is a great venue for children and families and Refract has plenty going on to keep the young ones entertained within its programme. ‘Groove into the Woods’ mixes live music and animation in a tale of three friends setting off on a magical journey through a forest, suitable for ages 3-7. Kids can choose their own adventure in ‘Fashion Spies’ or get messy in ‘SPLAT’, a comedy about art. Our highlight is the glorious ‘Groove Sensations’ a sensory concert designed specifically for teeny-tiny tots aged under 3.
Theatre
Waterside's 350-seat Robert Bolt Theatre will be the venue for the festival's drama and stand-up, with ‘Quite Unfit for Females’ literally kicking things off on opening night with the story of a 1921 all-women football team. Inspired by real experiments in non-human communication, ‘Like Animals’ is a love story about miscommunication in relationships and ‘Confetti’ is a one-man show about a wedding planner finding their own queer romance. ‘Withered Optimism’ offers a dramatic take on the tyranny of the workplace, and head outdoors for ‘Glam’, a street dance cabaret party. Back indoors, journey inside ‘John Peel's Shed’ in which John Osborne tells the true story of how, in 2002, he won a competition. The prize was a box of records from John Peel's shed, and it took him eight years to listen to them all. Meanwhile, delve deep inside a therapist's office for ‘The Formidable Lizzie Boone’. Find out about ‘The Great Post Office Scandal’ and take a step into the past, getting funky with ‘The Spirit of Woodstock’ or become one of the ‘Children of the Revolution.’
And there's more...
Head back outside for a free performance from all-female acrobatic theatre company Mimbre as ‘Lifted’ mixes elements of dance, theatre and circus on the Waterside Plaza. Outdoor fun continues with ‘Street Cat Strut’ and fans of music and comedy can catch performances from the likes of Manchester's ‘Little Sparrow’, music collective ‘Kabantu’, a love letter to Julie Andrews which, yes, does sound deliciously camp, in ‘Julie Madly Deeply’, perhaps the festival's best title. Things get darker with a VR noir experience inspired by films like ‘Rear Window’ in ‘Facades’ which, at just 20 minutes, won't keep you in the dark for too long. Celebrate ‘Father Ted’ with rebellious Father Damo himself, comedian Joe Rooney, ‘Harriet Dagnall and Foxglove’ team up for a night of music, comedy fans can enjoy a ‘Laugh Riot’ and a closing night party of ‘Riot Jazz’ ties things up nicely.
Tickets are available now.
Refract Festival, Thursday July 21 - Saturday July 30, Waterside Arts, Sale, M33 7ZF. www.watersidearts.org