MIF25: Blackhaine – And Now I Know What Love Is at Diecast

Happening as part of MIF25, Blackhaine – And Now I Know What Love Is promises to be one of the most compelling and emotionally charged experiences of the festival.

This world premiere from the acclaimed artist, choreographer and musician transforms DIECAST‘s industrial-style space into a raw and enveloping performance environment. Fusing movement, voice, sound and scenography, Blackhaine creates a powerful collage that explores the space between life and death – tracing the emotional terrain of love, grief, isolation and connection.

Performed by a company of dancers, the piece unfolds in a stripped-back post-industrial setting, inspired by the liminal, often desolate spaces of North West England where Blackhaine grew up. Audiences are invited to move freely around the edge of the performance space, encountering each other in a heightened sensory world of visceral choreography and experimental sound.

Drawing on a radical mix of drill, noise and contemporary movement, Blackhaine’s work is known for its intensity and emotional impact. And Now I Know What Love Is continues this bold trajectory, offering a journey that is both cathartic and confronting – a meditation on survival, identity and the fragile beauty of human connection.

A graduate of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Blackhaine has quickly become one of the UK’s most talked-about artists. His boundary-pushing practice spans dance, music, installation and creative direction for global musicians. This show marks a defining moment in his career and a rare opportunity to see his vision come to life in his hometown.

For anyone seeking art that disrupts, resonates and lingers, And Now I Know What Love Is is essential viewing. Expect to leave changed.