Reflecting on the premiere of Kin and looking ahead to Warwick Arts Centre
It’s been a long time coming, but our brand-new show Kin has finally made its premiere at HOME Manchester. Some of the team have been working on this production since 2017, but it’s been during the last three years where the show has truly to come together through several intense periods of creation and R&D (despite the pandemic’s best efforts to thwart us!).
“The creation process for Kin has probably been my favourite process of all eight shows that I’ve made. I feel that we have the conditions right in terms of support and space, and that’s been very important.” - Amit Lahav
Leading up to the premiere, all of the elements that make a Gecko show unique come together – staging, lighting, soundtrack, costumes, movement, emotion and soundscape – as we enter production rehearsals. On this occasion, this meant spending three weeks before the premier running the show at HOME Manchester’s studio theatre and main theatre, giving us the first impression of how the show will feel and look in a theatre setting and allowing us to make changes as we reflect on those.
Those first public shows are always nerve wracking as we wait to discover how our audiences will respond to what we have created. It was humbling to feel so much warmth, love, support and enjoyment from everyone who came to see the shows, something we never take for granted, and always appreciate.
For all of our tours we always try and have at least one post-show discussion following a performance, an opportunity for our Artistic Director Amit and our devising performers to meet the audience and to explore the themes covered in the show. It’s enjoyable to hear their interpretation of the show, and to hear about their own lived experiences. It was particularly emotional in Manchester, when a young Ukrainian refugee spoke of their experience of the show, something we will never forget. If you do come to see our shows, please look out for the post-show discussions, or for any of us in the restaurant/bar afterwards, we are always happy to meet you!
Looking ahead to Warwick
Last night we were thrilled to perform Kin at a packed house at the Warwick Arts Centre, which has previously hosted every single one of our previous seven shows. Kin will be running until Saturday, 22 October and the Centre will also be screening our award-winning film Institute on Thursday, 20 October 2022 (17.30), a chance to see our first feature film on the big screen as well as attend a theatre performance!
The shows in Warwick will be the first time Kin has moved from one venue to another, and there will be plenty of challenges and technicalities for us to consider and adjust to, but we’re looking forward to seeing how the show works in a slightly larger space and to how the audience reacts to that and any changes we have made.
Running alongside our tour, we look to support future theatre makers and creatives with discounted workshops for local schools who are coming to see the show. These take place the week before the performances, allowing students to experience our devising methodology with one of our devising performers. On this occasion, devising performer Miguel Hernando Torres Umba visited schools and colleges in and around Warwick/Coventry, and we look forward to welcoming them to the shows this week.
Sign up to our newsletter and social feeds for more tour dates to be announced soon, and for further details on discounted workshops to accompany these.