Liverpool theatre to tour Nina Simone show following £95K grant

Liverpool’s Unity Theatre is set to take one of its most popular shows on its first UK tour following a £95,000 grant from Arts Council England.

The hugely successful co-production with Sweden’s Riksteatern, Nina – a story about me and Nina Simone will tour the UK nationally in 2018, with the last stop being Liverpool.

News of a successful application to the Arts Council’s National Lottery funded Strategic Touring programme comes just weeks after Unity Theatre confirmed that National Portfolio Organisation status had been secured for 4 years, during the period of 2018-22.

Since the world premiere of the production at Unity Theatre in October 2016, the show has embarked on a 30 date National tour of Sweden and is about to commence a two week, sold out, run at the Young Vic in London’s West End, as well as eight performances at the Traverse Theatre during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August.

Starring Josette Bushell-Mingo, the soulful show has been inspired by the life and music of Nina Simone. Taking in the singer’s political acts as part of the Civil Rights Movement in 1960s America as well as the struggles in her personal life, the play aims to finds a parallel with the inequality in today’s society, and questions how far we’ve really come.

The production also features Nina Simone’s best-loved songs, including Feeling Good.

Matthew Linley, Unity Theatre artistic director and CEO said: “Nina – a story about me and Nina Simone really is a remarkable production which has attracted both critical acclaim and very deep, personal and profound audience response where ever it has been performed so far, be that in the UK or Sweden.

“We are delighted that Arts Council England has chosen to support the UK tour of the production through its National Lottery funded Strategic Touring programme, where Nina – a story about me and Nina Simone will bring diverse audiences together throughout England to talk about issues which concern the times we live in now.”

Jane Beardsworth, director North, Arts Council England said “I’m pleased that we’re supporting Nina – a story about me and Nina Simone through our Strategic touring programme.

“This co-production with Sweden’s Riksteatern has already toured widely and I’m delighted that audiences in England will now have the chance to see this thought-provoking work.”

Details and tour dates for the 2018 run of performances will be announced in the Autumn.

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