Following an incredible 12 days of nonstop performances in Cardiff, Hijinx Theatre’s #UnityFestival2022 is coming to Bangor’s Pontio showcasing the best in inclusive, disability arts on 28 & 29 June 2022.

 

Over 100 performers are in their final stages of rehearsal ready to showcase the very best of International, inclusive and disability arts. This huge scale festival at multiple locations across Wales is brought to you by Wales’s acclaimed Hijinx Theatre, ensuring that neurodivergent artists are represented on our stages and screens. This Unity Festival marks its 10th edition and is set to delight audiences with a bumper programme of pioneering theatre, film, dance, comedy, cabaret and street theatre.

“We are delighted to be able to bring the Unity Festival back for 2022, offering a vital platform to ensure that disabled and neurodivergent artists remain visible as we emerge from the Covid 19 pandemic, never has there been a more important moment for our festival. We hope as many people as possible are able to join us, whether that be in Cardiff, Bangor, Llanelli or online. We guarantee you will find something for everyone in our eclectic programme, featuring brilliant performances from around the world on stage, on the street and on screen.” Ben Pettitt-Wade, Hijinx’s Artistic Director.

“We’re really excited to have Hijinx Unity Festival here in Cardiff sharing the best of inclusive filmmaking from around the world. There is so much neurodiverse talent in Wales, with great shorts coming out of Hijinx Productions and having talented people like Justin Melluish on our TV screens. Chapter is the home for film in Wales so it feels great that we can share the wider talents of our filmmaking community with our audience.” Claire Vaughan, Chapter’s Programme Manager, Film.

 Across 12 days of exciting performances, Unity Festival has something for everyone to enjoy, laugh at, be immersed in and awe-struck. Highlights include:

  • Spectacular free street theatre for families; rock out with your best air guitar to Rock Cliché , find out what’s turned the magical creatures into Grumpy Unicorns & see what intrepid explores The Astronauts discover on a new planet. Sporting shenanigans and comedy theatre from Kitsch N Sync and Hijinx’s Snatch of the Day features zorbing hamster balls! And embark on an outdoor adventure in Cardiff’s Bute Park with Taking Flight Theatre Company’s The Curious Case of Aberlliw, featuring an App experience and also spot some of their walkabout characters around Cardiff!
  • A hilarious line up at the brand-new Comedy Night featuring Wales’ Dan Mitchell, “Absolutely brilliant” Ross Noble
  • The inaugural Unity Film Festival presenting 60+ ground breaking, inclusive film screenings from Wales and beyond, including an exciting sneak preview UK premiere of the astonishing film Theo and the Metamorphosis, prior to its UK-wide release, following which will be a Q & A with the film’s director and lead actor. There will also be world premieres at Chapter with Hijinx’s short films Glitch and Stones & Dust.
  • A second chance to see Hijinx’s brand-new hybrid theatre experience, test, following its premiere in May. “…one of the most interesting, strange and amazing stage experiences I’ve had for a long time.” Buzz Magazine
  • Cabaret from ground- breaking, internationally acclaimed drag collective Drag Syndrome, featuring highly addictive drag Queens and Kings with Down’s syndrome. Cardiff’s own drag troupe House of Deviant will be supporting plus music from Hijinx’s inclusive punk, rock, pop, soul, blues and funk band, Vaguely Artistic.
  • Thought-provoking dance from Danza Mobile and tanzar_bremen
  • Anarchic and immersive club-night fun at Club Supreme, Ramshakalicious and Hijinx’s multimedia, theatrical takeover of Wales Millennium Centre’s Fresh Bar to lead you on a journey of self-discovery.

 The Hayes at St David’s in the centre of Cardiff will be one of the host locations.
“We’re really excited to welcome the Unity Festival to The Hayes at St David’s with a fantastic line-up of free street theatre performances. The Hayes is a superb location in the heart of the city in which to showcase the Unity Festival and will create an exciting and engaging experience for visitors throughout the day.” Helen Morgan, Centre Director of St David’s Cardiff.

For those unable to attend in-person at Cardiff, Bangor or Llanelli, Hijinx has ensured people can participate in the fun from home, across the world, with several performances available to enjoy livestreamed or on demand via a new digital platform called Hijinx Mobile, in partnership with Spain’s Escena Mobile, which will be accessible via the Hijinx website.

The scale of the work being presented shows the breadth of talent and highlights the importance of neurodivergent artists being represented across the creative industries.

For more information and see the full schedule in Bangor, please visit https://www.hijinx.org.uk/unity-festival-2022-bangor/