The line-up for this year's Freedom Festival has been unveiled. Ian Midgley takes a closer look.
THE team behind this year's reborn Freedom Festival have a dream – to make 2013's event the biggest and best yet.
The programme for September's three day freedom celebrations has been unveiled today and boasts an eclectic line-up of everything from internationally-acclaimed street performers to top TV comics, rising rock bands, iconic art exhibitions and stirring speeches.
The festival, which will begin with a torch-lit parade of 600 people through the streets of Hull on Friday, September 6, is aiming to mix high art with popular culture in a bid to bring tens of thousands of locals and visitors into the city, topping the 75,000 who attended last year.
Among the headline acts announced today are Manchester rock band The 1975, who recently supported The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park; funnymen Pappy's, who are now starring in their own TV sitcom Badults; and Ziggy, an exhibition of never-seen-before Ziggy Stardust photographs and fan memorabilia from the 1970s, featuring Hull-born music legend Mick Ronson.
One of the highlights of the opening night will seek to reconnect the festival with its founding principals of freedom when the writer and broadcaster Lemn Sissay, who was resident poet for the London 2012 Olympics, will read Martin Luther King's famous "I have a dream" speech at the climax of the torch-lit parade.
Liz Pugh, from new festival director company Walk the Plank said: "We're thrilled to announce this year's line-up, which brings both familiar and exciting new experiences to Freedom audiences.
"As in previous years, the festival will be mostly free with some paid-for events – we want audiences to free their imaginations, be experimental in their programme choices, try new things and embrace what is going to be a phenomenal weekend."
Other acts due to appear are leading contemporary dance theatre company Balletlorent, folk stars Shooglenifty, Tanzanian acrobatic troupe The Black Eagles plus the hometown return of local comedy star Lucy Beaumont.
This is on top of an already-announced performance by returning French street theatre pioneers Transe Express who will debut their new show Les Tambours de la Muerte – or the Drums Of Death – along Hull's streets.
Councillor Terry Geraghty, portfolio holder for culture, added there was a lot riding on the success of this year's Freedom Festival with the eyes of the world turning to Hull.
He said: "All eyes will be on Freedom and our city as we edge closer to submitting the next stage bid to be UK City of Culture 2017. It's an extremely exciting time for Hull – we're proud and ready to show the rest of the UK exactly what can do."Here's what you can see at this year's Freedom festival. For more information visit the Freedom Festival website or follow @FreedomFestHull on Twitter.Music
Fresh from performing to 65,000 Rolling Stones fans, after being handpicked by the rock legends for a support slot at one of their Hyde Park Calling gigs, Manchester's The 1975 lead Freedom's music programme in 2013 on Saturday. The self-titled debut album will be released immediately after their Freedom show on September 9.
A packed Sunday programme mixing food and folk music will features local favourites Blackbeard's Tea Party and Glastonbury 2013 performers Shooglenifty.
Also on the bill is MOBO award-winning rap artist Akala, Radio 2 DJ Craig Charles, who will be presenting his Funk and Soul Show live from Freedom on Friday, and jazz outfit Empirical.
Other names making ah appearance are Dan Croll, Hull's own Sam Gray and "shameless indie pop band" Theme Park.Theatre
Set in Hull, Jumpers For Goalposts is a new romantic comedy by Tom Wells, who picked up most Promising Playwright at the Critics' Circle Awards in 2012. The show is coming home to Hull Truck Theatre as part of Freedom Festival, before setting off on a national tour.
Sunday afternoon will bring the must-see Paper Cinema's Odyssey to Freedom, as part of the festival's partnership with Battersea Arts Centre. The acclaimed Odyssey is performed by the Paper Cinema, a group of puppeteers, designers and musicians who are on stage throughout the production. Pen and ink artwork is manipulated in real time, performed to live music and projected onto the big screen for "a beautiful, atmospheric show which is more live animation than theatre". Street performance
The headlining name on the streets of Hull this September will be French street theatre group Transe Express, who previous played at Freedom in 2010. The company will present a UK-exclusive of Les Tambours de la Muerte – or The Drums Of Death. Made up of 100 actors, acrobats, bell ringers, dancers, percussionists, singers, string quartets and welders – yes, welders – the show is described as "a stunning mix of dance, fire, music and skeletons in a procession loosely based on Mexico's Day of the Dead festival".
Also performing will be The Black Eagles, a "spectacularly-talented" acrobatic trio from Tanzania who honed their skills on the streets of Dar-Es-Salaam from the age of six. They've taken their gravity-defying act to festivals and events all over Europe and the UK, including Glastonbury, the Commonwealth Games and the Queen's Jubilee. Comedy
Comedy trio Pappy's, currently starring in their own BBC 3 show Badults, will headline Freedom's comedy tent while homegrown talent Lucy Beaumont, riding high after winning BBC's Best New Comedy act last year, will showcase her brand new show being premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe. BBC children's TV stars Big Howard Little Howard are set to be a hit with big and little kids alike, while emerging musical comedy talent Jonny Awsum will also hit the Freedom comedy stage.Art
Outdoor art will feature heavily at Freedom this year, with unusual, "curiosity-piquing" installations popping up throughout the city. There will also be a sand writer on Humber Street, creating displays amongst the crowds.
The Ziggy exhibition at the Museum of Club Culture, on Humber Street, will feature never-seen-before photographs of the Ziggy Stardust Tour, taken by Hull photographer Peter Hardy in London circa 1973. The photographs feature David Bowie and his backing band The Spiders From Mars complete with Hull guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder and drummer Mick Woodmansey. The legendary tour promoted Bowie's seminal concept album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Dance
The "drop dead gorgeousness" of Balletlorent, one of the UK's most distinctive dance companies, leads Freedom's dance programme.The company will debut a new show inspired by two of their most loved works – The Ball and La Nuit Intime. Also, 2Faced Dance, an all-male urban contemporary act who "dance like adrenaline junkies" will be appearing throughout the weekend. A full programme of local dance artists will also feature.
