Kalabanté Productions: Afrique en Cirque at Aviva Studios

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor

Book now

Kalabante Productions: Afrique en Cirque

Aviva Studios, Manchester
11-15 November 2023

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Kalabanté Productions: Afrique en Cirque at Aviva Studios
Image courtesy of Peter Graham.
Book now

Expect high-flying acrobatics, colourful rhythms and innovative choreography when Kalabanté Productions bring their thrilling circus performance Afrique en Cirque to Aviva Studios for four spectacular shows.

This captivating show is being performed as part of The Welcome, a huge nine-day celebration to mark the opening of Manchester’s phenomenal new arts space, Aviva Studios, home of Factory International.

Afrique en Cirque at Aviva Studios
Image courtesy of Peter Graham/ Kalabanté Productions.

A wonderful high-octane fusion of circus arts and traditional African arts.

Founded by multidisciplinary artist Yamoussa Bangoura, Kalabanté Productions celebrate African culture, youth, joy and the diaspora. For four nights only, they roll into town ready to transport you to another continent with Afrique en Cirque – a multi-sensory extravaganza inspired by daily life in Guinea.

Bringing a wonderful high-octane fusion of circus arts and traditional African arts, Kalabanté Productions are set to captivate Manchester audiences. Get lost in colourful costumes and scenery, as daring acrobats perform gravity-defying moves and dancers take you on a journey through Guinea – all set to the sound of live Afrojazz and traditional West African instruments, from percussion to kora.

Afrique en Cirque invites all ages to experience the boundless and expressive creativity of African culture.

The family-friendly show was a huge hit at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival too. Garnering a string of brilliant reviews, Afrique en Cirque received five stars from Time Out and The Skinny and was praised as an explosion of “exuberant movement and music” by The Stage.

Seamlessly melding exceptional storytelling, awe-inspiring circus art, dance and music, the performance is a vibrant celebration of contemporary African life. More importantly, this powerful and highly entertaining show is the perfect example of the universality of art’s language. Recommended for ages 5+, Afrique en Cirque invites all ages to experience the boundless and expressive creativity of African culture.

What's on at Aviva Studios

FestivalsCity Centre
MIF25: Festival Square

Festival Square is the beating heart of Manchester International Festival 2025, returning to its riverside location once again.

Free entry
Free Activity at Aviva Studios
Until
ComedyManchester
Free Activity at Aviva Studios

From comedy nights to drop-in family craft sessions, Factory International bring an accessible and inclusive programme of events this spring – the best thing, it’s all free.

Free entry

Where to go near Kalabanté Productions: Afrique en Cirque at Aviva Studios

Castlefield
Event venue
Old Granada Studios

Manchester’s old Granada Studios is an iconic piece of the city’s history and home to Sidney Bernstein’s television empire.

Castlefield
Restaurant
The Loft Manchester

Smart event space in the building previously occupied by Walkabout, and now host to all manner of exciting one-off happenings

Manchester Opera House by Phil Tragen
City Centre
Theatre
Manchester Opera House

A commercial touring theatre, the Manchester Opera House is reopening in August 2021, all set to host the city’s finest mainstream theatrical productions, music gigs, opera and ballet.

City Centre
Music venue
Low Four Studio

Old Granada Studios has announced Low Four: a new studio and music project that will stream and archive live music performance as part of a new generation of music TV programming. The inclusion of a viewing balcony also means that these recordings, along with special events and concerts, will be made open to a few […]

Manchester
Restaurant
20 Stories

High-end restaurant and cocktail bar, with stunning views of the Manchester skyline.

Manchester
Gallery
Smolensky Gallery

This appointment-only gallery is a hidden gem in Manchester. Art lovers and collectors can browse many high quality pieces.

What's on: Dance

Free Activity at Aviva Studios
Until
ComedyManchester
Free Activity at Aviva Studios

From comedy nights to drop-in family craft sessions, Factory International bring an accessible and inclusive programme of events this spring – the best thing, it’s all free.

Free entry
TESS at HOME: A woman holds four planks over her head, watched on by three women.
DanceManchester
Tess at HOME

A bold, breathtaking fusion of circus and storytelling, Ockham’s Razor transform Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles into a visceral, visually stunning spectacle.

From £21.20

Culture Guides

Music in the North

Gigs are coming in hot this spring – from long-awaited returns to one-off happenings you’ll blink and miss if you're not careful.

Hannah Platt 'Playing Out', courtesy of Threshold, photograph by Jules Lister.
Exhibitions in the North

From city-wide art festivals to open-air sculptural installations, we have exhibitions from all around the North, both indoors and out.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Eclectic as ever. You'll find inventive reworkings, world-class contemporary dance and Greater Manchester's inaugural Improv Festival in our guide.

portrait of Lorsung in a dark shirt with dark hair and dark round glasses
Literature Events in the North

We've got laughs and we've got leftfield on the live literature radar this month. Something for everyone, from poets playing with form to short story writers looking long.

Classical Music in the North

Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.