Birmingham Hippodrome Announces ILLUMINATE Interactive Light Show in Southside, 10/25-27

Grab your coat, round up your friends and family and get down to Southside for three spectacular and stunning nights of amazing interactive light artworks in and around Birmingham Hippodrome.

This FREE event produced by Birmingham Hippodrome features the Lanterns of Terracotta Warriors Exhibition. This unique and breathtaking installation, originally created for the Beijing Olympics, comes to Birmingham for the very first time. The exhibition, situated in Gallon Car Park, Hurst Street, features over 90 larger than life size figures inspired by the 'Terracotta Army' which slowly light up to create an atmospheric and thought provoking experience.

Illuminate also features a stunning 360 degree film igloo. Visitors will be able to enter and emerse themselves inside the igloo with some of the best 3D films covering sport, dance, music and movement. There's also daring performances of fire dancing guaranteed to thrill and live giant projections of Southside faces onto local buildings in the area. And roaming performers will light up the streets as visitors walk around all of the installations

Sarah Allen, Creative Programme Manager at Birmingham Hippodrome said: "We're absolutely delighted to be bringing this event to Southside and transforming the area into a spectacular light experience. We're particularly excited to welcome the Lanterns of Terracotta Warriors Exhibition marking the first time it has been seen in Birmingham. The three nights will offer visitors a very unique experience not seen in Southside before."

Illuminate culminates with Echolia a new commission by Birmingham Hippodrome with support of DanceXchange. Echolia is a collaboration between choreographer Sonia Sabri and new media artist Andy McKeown and combines projections with movement - a fitting end to a spectacular three nights!

There's also the chance for visitors to take part in the event when FREE Illoom glowing balloons will be given out to the first 100 visitors to Hippodrome Square or LeTruc enabling them to be part of a light procession in Hurst Street.

Illuminate takes place from 6pm-10pm on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 October and 6pm-8pm on Sunday 27 October. Performances and exhibitions are in easy walking distance of each other and are timed for visitors to enjoy all the events.

FULL LISTINGS

Illuminate Hub - LeTruc

Ladywell Walk/Arcadian

Pop into the lovely French restaurant Le Truc, our hub space for Illuminate, where you can find special cocktails and buy a good old fashioned hot dog to take away.

Southside Faces by Andy McKeown

Loft Lounge / Carpark - Fri 25 & Sat 26 Oct 6 - 10pm

Photographs of Southside faces, colourised as pop art posters will contribute to an everchanging stream of local portraits, creating a mind blowing, gigantic wall of colour. Be part of Southside Faces by dropping in to the photoshoot on Mon Oct 7, 12noon till 7pm at Hippodrome Square.

Flame Oz

Hippodrome Square - Fri 25 & Sat 26 Oct, 6.30 - 7pm, 7.45 - 8.15pm, 9 - 9.30pm

FlameOz will light up your evening with state of-the-art LED technology and awe-inspiring choreographed fire dancing. These virtuoso circus artists draw complex patterns in the air with stunning kaleidoscopic visuals and fire based special effects. Guaranteed to thrill!

Echolalia

Gallan Car Park, Hurst Street - Fri 25 Oct 7pm & 8pm, Sat 26 Oct 6pm, 7pm, 8pm
Sun 27 Oct 7pm Illuminate finale performance

Choreographer Sonia Sabri and new media artist Andy McKeown have evolved a performance over three days. Projections are layered with movement, gesture, colour, shadow and sound to spark your curiosity and take you to another dimension. Inspired by communication, the word Echolalia means a child's repetition of sounds uttered by others. After each performance explore the lighting environment and create shadows and shapes of your own.

Performer: Patsy Browne-Hope, live projected colour space: Andy McKeown, music: Sarvar Sabri. Commissioned by Birmingham Hippodrome with support of DanceXchange.

Body in Motion 360° Panoramic Cinema Experience

Arcadian - Drop in Fri 25 Oct 1 - 2pm & 4 - 9:30pm & Sat 26 Oct 12 noon - 9pm

Drop in and be in the middle of the action! Get swept up in a series of amazing films projected in a 360° dome. An immersive experience for all ages, some of the best new 360° films covering sport, dance, music and movement.

Curated for Illuminate by Toby Norman-Wright with ICCI, Plymouth University and Igloo Vision. Encompass 360° Digital Dance: Toby Norman- Wright and Chris Vandyke. Dancer: Sonia Sabri. Image: Lloyd Russell, Plymouth University.

The Lanterns of Terracotta Warriors exhibition

Gallan Car Park, Hurst Street - Fri 25 & Sat 26, 6 - 10pm, Sun 27 Oct, 4 - 8pm

These greater than life size figures are accurate representations of the terracotta soldiers; but this 'army' includes women and children arranged in families and are lit from within. Grouped together by the artist, Mr Xia Nan over 80 figures create stunning displays to contemplate and enjoy.

Commissioned in 2008 for the Beijing Olympics the lanterns are inspired by the famous Terracotta Army discovered in 1974 in the tomb of the 3rd Century BC Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The exhibition is kindly supported by Southside Business Improvement District, The Chinese Business Group, The Gallan Group and The Gooch Estate.

Roaming

Fri 25 & Sat 26 Oct, 6 - 10pm

Keep an eye out for interactive projections, moving kaleidoscopic illuminations and Andy McKeown's mobile projection 'lightBuggy' wheeling its way down Hurst Street. Watch our artists draw onto buildings and landmarks around Southside and maybe have a go yourself!

Roaming street band Mr Wilson's Second Liners will channel the spirit of the 24 hour party people and get audiences dancing wherever they play. Paying homage to the diehard days of the Hacienda, 90s club culture and its greatest hero, Mr Tony Wilson. Be prepared for a rave on a street corner.

For more info go to www.birminghamhippodrome.com/illuminate

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