Preview: Baba Israel’s The Spinning Wheel @ Manchester’s Contact Theatre

Photo Credit: Contact Theatre, Manchester

This Saturday Contact Theatre sees Ex-Artistic Director Baba Israel return to Contact with The Spinning Wheel, a collaboration with Unfinished Business celebrating the life of his father Steve Ben Israel. A New York jazz musician, poet, stand-up comic, political activist and key member of The Living Theatre ensemble, Steve passed away in 2012 leaving a rich legacy of 1960’s New York counter culture.

His son Baba Israel is now a hip-hop theatre artist based in New York and has come together in collaboration for this piece with artists from diverse spheres. Directed by interdisciplinary artist and Artistic Director of Unfinished Business Leo Kay, the piece skilfully incorporates original music from hip-hop artist YAKO 440, experimental video by Albino Mosquito’s Richard Ramchurn, dramaturgy by Talvin Wilkes and arresting imagery from award-winning artist Eric Drooker. The result is a rich multimedia production combining spoken word with hip-hop, jazz and visuals to not only relate the story of Steve’s life but also celebrate artistic expression, political activism and intergenerational collaboration. There will furthermore be a post-show telepresence jam connecting Manchester poets Young Identity with Culture Hub in New York.

Tickets are priced £13/£7 concession. Please book online at contactmcr.com or call Contact’s Box Office on 0161 274 0600.