Wildworks and Circa World Premieres Amongst First Announcements for Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2015

Norfolk & Norwich Festival has announced the first highlights of its 2015 Festival. They include two major new commissions; a promenade performance deep in the woods of the National Trust's outstanding Felbrigg Hall created by acclaimed theatre makers Wildworks and a groundbreaking new show from Circa, one of the world's truly great new circus ensembles.

Other highlights announced include an exhibition by influential and controversial American artist Jeff Koons and a performances from Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra featuring Sir John Tomlinson, plus the world's greatest gypsy group Taraf de Haïdouks from Romania, the 'live-cinema' of Oscar nominated Sam Green (with live music from New York's yMusic) and critically acclaimed dance from Hofesh Schechter Company.

Norfolk & Norwich Festival enjoys an ever-growing national and international reputation for innovative and inspirational events. It is one of the UK's big four arts festivals and one of the oldest, being able to trace its roots back to 1772. The 2015 Festival runs from 8 - 24 May and the full programme will be announced in February 2015.

"These early announcements give a flavour of the full programme of shows and events that we will be revealing in February" says William Galinsky, Norfolk & Norwich Festival Artistic Director. "Our major commission this year is a brand new piece of landscape theatre, Wolf's Child, created specially for the woods at Felbrigg Hall by WildWorks, one of the UK's most exciting site-specific theatre companies. They have created iconic productions across the world and we're proud to be bringing them to Norfolk. We are also announcing another world premiere that continues our unique relationship with Circa, one of the world's great contemporary circus companies. What Will Have Been sees artistic director Yaron Lifschitz, reunited with three of Circa's finest artists from nearly a decade of work."

Wolf's Child is a brand new creation from acclaimed theatre makers WildWorks, co-produced by Norfolk & Norwich Festival. Throughout the Festival, audiences will be taken on an immersive journey deep into the dark woods of North Norfolk's Felbrigg Hall. As day turns to dusk they will encounter a world of shape-shifting animals and humans. An original landscape theatre commission this extraordinary grown-up fairytale will be the theatrical experience of the Festival. 'one of the outstanding theatrical events not only of this year, but of the decade' Susannah Clapp, The Observer on WildWorks' The Passion
(Felbrigg Hall Tuesday 5 - Saturday 23 May)

One of the world's great contemporary circus companies, Circa create What Will Have Been, a new commission for Norfolk & Norwich Festival. Extreme acrobatics meet extreme beauty in the world premiere of a groundbreaking new show in The Adnams Spiegeltent. Accompanied by a spine-tingling electronic soundtrack and Bach's immortal Partita for Violin No.2 performed live, Circa's finest artists create a show infused with tender humanity and savage physicality.'extraordinarily moving' ***** The Observer on Circa's Opus
(The Adnams Spiegeltent Wednesday 13 - Saturday 23 May)

American artist Jeff Koons is widely regarded as one of the most important, influential and controversial artists of our time. Renowned for playful and provocative work ranging from monumental public sculptures to Lady Gaga record sleeves, his Norwich exhibition will include a selection of works in a variety of media to showcase his originality and remarkably diverse creativity.
(Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery Saturday 9 May - Sunday 24 May)

The Festival Chorus is joined by one of the UK's most renowned orchestras, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, which has spent many weeks at the top of the classical CD chart. Alongside them Sir John Tomlinson, one of the great singers of our time, leads a glorious array of vocal talent in the irresistible blend of Romantic lyricism and vivid melodrama that is Mendelssohn's Elijah.
(St Andrew's Hall, Norwich Sunday 17 May)

Taraf de Haïdouks perform riotous Romanian folk with an unrivalled warmth, enthusiasm and eccentricity. Encompassing members aged from 20 to 80 the world's greatest gypsy group display clattering virtuosity and passionate gypsy rasp to steal your breath away. 'Wonderful entertainers and one of the planet's great live acts' The Independent
(Norwich Theatre Royal Sunday 17 May)

Oscar nominated film-maker Sam Green's live-cinema performance The Measure of All Things had its debut at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Green narrates this documentary on stage with live music from New York's yMusic who combine classical music with the spirit of rock and pop. The Measure of All Things, loosely inspired by the Guinness Book of Records, weaves together a series of portraits of record-breaking people, places and things to create a poignant meditation on fate, time and the outer contours of the human experience.
(Norwich Theatre Royal Thursday 21 May)

Hofesh Shechter Company have performed in many of the world's leading dance venues and now bring its critically acclaimed work Political Mother to Norwich. Brimming with emotional and gritty complexity, pulsating live music, extraordinary ensemble sequences and cinematic editing, Political Mother is a dance experience like no other. 'Part dance show, part heavy-rock gig, Hofesh Shechter's first ever full-length work is an audio-visual marvel'

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