THISISPOPBABY announces West End premiere of Irish extravaganza WAKE
Photo credit: Ruth Medjber
The West End premiere of Irish extravaganza WAKE has been announced to play at the Peacock Theatre from 2 April, before transferring to Manchester’s Aviva Studios from 17-21 April.
WAKE is an electrifying Irish variety phenomenon that remixes traditions in a high-octane, heart-thumping celebration of life and connection. Welcome to WAKE, where customs collide with club anthems, creating a euphoric soundtrack for a night filled with aerial artistry, Irish tap, cabaret, slam poetry, pole dancing and more! Best known as an ancient funeral rite, the Irish WAKE is actually a celebration of transformation, of moving from one realm to another. Ushering in fabulous change - caterpillar to butterfly - the WAKE is a timeless reminder to live fully.
Acclaimed Irish theatre company THISISPOPBABY invites you to witness an anthemic spectacle with the spirit of an epic trad session and the ecstatic energy of a stadium concert. Co-created and co-directed by THISISPOPBABY’s Jennifer Jennings and Phillip McMahon, and designed by Niall Sweeney, the show subverts the rites and structure of a traditional Irish wake to create a club culture infused frenzy of ritual, rave, grief and joy.
Jennifer Jennings and Phillip McMahon said: “We cannot wait to bring this bold, ambitious, fabulous juggernaut of a show to London and Manchester. WAKE thrilled audiences in Ireland, and now it’s only fair that we bring the joy to these shores and see what your audiences are made of. I’m sure they know how to party, so we say let’s raise the roof together!”
The cast features singer and performer from Dublin band Phoeno, Adam Matthews; composer, sound designer, keys player, singer and music director Alma Kelliher; accordion player and traditional musician with band Moxie, Darren Roche; dancer and choreographer Deirdre Griffin; London based Irish actor and singer Emer Dineen; breakdancer Cristian Dirocie from the Dominican Republic; drummer Ryan McClelland; Irish star poet and performer Felicia Olusanya; Kerry dancer and singer Jade O’Connor; world champion pole artist from Venezuela, Lisette Krol; traditional musician and fiddle player Lucia McPartlin; American Irish dancer Michael Roberson; world class aerialist Jenny Tufts; and choreographer, dancer, and longtime collaborator of THISISPOPBABY, Philip Connaughton.