Scorch at Contact

Andrew Anderson

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Scorch

Contact Theatre, Manchester
23-26 May 2017

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

Scorch at Contact
© Ciaran Bagnall
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Most theatre shows come down to a question of taste: some like it, some don’t –it’s all a matter of opinion. But every so often a show comes along that everyone thinks is special, that has everyone in agreement. Scorch, coming to Contact this May, is one of those shows.

A one-woman piece written by Northern Irish playwright Stacey Gregg, Scorch tells the tale of Belfast teenager Kes (played by Amy McAllister). Kes, like many adolescents, is trying to establish her own identity. But for Kes that’s a hard task, as norms around gender and sexuality don’t seem to fit who she is.

To find out more about herself, Kes pretends to be a boy and begins a relationship with a girl. It’s no big deal: after all, people do just that in chat rooms all the time. But unlike online life, where you can remain anonymous, for Kes the consequences of her actions become very, very real.

Gender identity is an issue whose time has finally come, and that’s why Scorch has struck such a chord. In the past three years alone trans referral for young people has increased threefold; no longer is it okay to simply view gender as black and white without any shades of grey.

An important story vividly told, Scorch is one of the most impressive pieces of theatre you’ll see this year.

What's on at Contact Theatre

Emergency 25 at Contact
TheatreManchester
Emergency 25 at Contact

Manchester’s annual micro-marathon of live art takes over Contact with bold performances, installations and interventions. Pay What You Decide.

Free entry

Where to go near Scorch at Contact

Manchester
Music venue
The Deaf Institute

The Deaf Institute is a vibrant gig venue and nightclub for which it is well worth taking a jaunt out of the Northern Quarter.

Manchester
Catalog Bookshop

Find Peter and his Christiania cargo bike around All Saints Park, a hop, skip and a bunnyhop from Manchester Poetry Library.

Manchester
Bar or Pub
Sandbar

Sandbar, just off Oxford Road in Manchester, is a well-loved watering hole, with a great selection of ales and some eccentric seating.

Johnny Roadhouse store
Manchester
Shop
Johnny Roadhouse

Buffeted by fried chicken outlets, legendary musical instrument emporium Johnny Roadhouse has been serving the local music community for over 50 years.

Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Eighth Day

Eighth Day is a co-operative shop that sells ethically-sourced food, wine and cosmetics. There’s also café that serves hearty, healthy meals in the basement.

Manchester
Event venue
The Proud Place

Based in the heart of Manchester on Sidney Street, The Proud Place houses The Proud Trust and serves as a community hub for the wider LGBT+ population across Greater Manchester and beyond.

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Happening at HOME, SÉANCE transforms the interior of a shipping container into a Victorian séance room.

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