Jacksons Lane Announces Reopening Plans Including World Premiere of LUMINOSA

Jacksons Lane has today announced that it will reopen its doors to the public on 21 September with the world premiere of brand new circus cabaret Luminosa.

Jacksons Lane is the flagship arts and cultural venue in Haringey, creating a year-round programme of the best contemporary circus and family performance, arts participation, cultural education and outreach work for its community and the arts sector. The historic building has been closed since November 2020 to undergo a transformative redevelopment, designed to improve accessibility, create a better audience experience, modernise the studio spaces and provide a flexible working environment.

As it reaches the final stages of completion the building will reopen with the world premiere of circus cabaret Luminosa running from 21-29 September. Presented by Jacksons Lane and Lost in Translation - one of the UK's leading circus ensembles, touring internationally throughout the year - Luminosa will be a sizzling, scintillating night of daring feats with fun and fantastic performance. Audiences can expect dance in the sky, jaw-dropping juggling, tipsy hoop swirling, live music, laughter and more in this super-fun, feel-good show. Featuring the very best of British and international circus artists, Luminosa will be the perfect show to welcome audiences back to the new minted building, with tickets starting at just £10.

Other highlights in the re-opening season include: the London Premiere of Circolombia's Ves-Tigios, featuring extravagant visions, terrifying acrobatics, unthinkable magic moments, and extraordinary circus skills; Hangwire Showcase a mixed bill from seven circus artists and companies awarded new commissions by Jacksons Lane earlier this year, incorporating elements of hip-hop puppetry, dance and stunning visuals over two thrilling nights; Brain Fools' Lucky Pigeons, a mix of absurd and extravagant theatre, impressive acrobatics, empathetic and funny stories, with a pinch of satirical spice, and the first work-in-progress showing from a new young Jacksons Lane-supported circus company; Laura Murphy: Contra, a solo-cabaret of contradictions interrogating personal, social and historical occupations of the female body returning to Jacksons Lane after its 2019 sell-out run; and Interruptions from REPRESENT, the UK premiere of a new adaptation of the piece originally devised by Annabel Arden and Stephen Jeffreys that asks: Do we need to be led? How do we decide who leads? What happens when there are no leaders?

There will also a fun-filled family programme including; Little Luminosa, a special family-friendly version of the evening circus cabaret; Mad Etiquette's Captain Cauliflower and Marvin the Mischievous Moose, an unforgettable adventure filled with extreme silliness and unquestionable danger; Big Red Bath, a bubbly, barmy bath time adventure adapted from Julia Jarman and Adrian Reynold's popular children's book from Half Moon Theatre and Full House Theatre featuring music by Evergreen; Christian Lee is MAGIC, fun, frolics and illusion with a non-stop feast of tricks, magic and comedy from the Britain's Got Talent star; Half Moon Theatre's Glisten, an intimate, special sensory Christmas show for babies and their grown-ups taking audiences on a sparkling and shimmering immersive journey and A Circus Carol from Lost in Translation, a magical production of Charles Dickens' much-loved timeless festival tale, combining acrobatics and truly amazing trickery whilst capturing all the heart and beauty of the book.

Adrian Berry, Artistic Director of Jacksons Lane said 'Through revitalising its space Jacksons Lane will be able to ensure that it is viable for the 21st century: for audiences, for performers, for everyone. Despite income falling sharply, Jacksons Lane's enthusiasm for providing vibrant, thrilling art has not dimmed. The company has reached over 88,000 people with its digital programming over the past year, giving artists and audiences a much-needed and appreciated connection.

We have continued circus workshops with young people across the borough of Haringey, focusing on those who needed them the most. Jacksons Lane has also provided circus artists with micro-commissions for a post-Covid world, held a weekly lunch club online and, thanks to the generosity of its donors last December, was able to distribute 243 festive hampers on Christmas Day to isolated older adults.'

With the help of Arts Council England and Haringey Council, and a number of other donors, foundations and trusts, Jacksons Lane has remained on schedule to complete the construction phase of the capital redevelopment project. The organisation is still fundraising to meet fit out costs and complete its vision to be a state-of-the-art complex, rooted in the community. Fundraising campaigns including 'Donate A Door', 'Love a Lantern', 'Buy a Brick' and 'Name a Seat' with a target of £50,000 have been launched to ensure that the project's completion can match the ambition to become a building worthy of its vision. Full details can be found here.