Co-artistic directors George Mann and Nir Paldi are a real-life couple trying to answer a question many of us face. As they stage their discussions around if, when and how to have children, every consideration – adoption, surrogacy, co-parenting, the environmental impact of childbirth – brings with it a succession of ethical challenges.
All set to a lively Madonna soundtrack, the couple veer between memories of their past and visions of their future as they consider who their child might become and how their own childhoods will affect their parenting. This energetic and provoking piece of physical theatre comes to Battersea Arts Centre and tours the UK fresh from its hit run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Nir Paldi said, “In No Kids we're asking important questions that affect all of us – those who have already got kids, those thinking about it, those who’ve decided to never have kids and those who want to but can’t. We will also be on stage together for the first time in our company’s history - it’s a real rollercoaster of emotions! “After a brilliant run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe we are really excited to be touring the show again this Spring and to some our favourite venues and audiences across the U.K. We are also in the planning stages of an international tour for later this year.”
George Mann adds, “Making No Kids challenged us as theatre makers, but also as a couple. Creative disagreements were profound, the fears and anxieties were real, and digging into our past opened up old wounds. We loved performing the show in Edinburgh, but we also felt the need to continue developing No Kids - to push ourselves to delve deeper into the themes of the show and further explore our two characters as stage personas and where that could take the piece. We tried our new version of No Kids at SHOUT festival in Birmingham Hippodrome in Nov and the audience response was visceral and exciting - provoking a lot of debate post-show. I can’t wait to London premiere this latest version at Battersea Arts Centre and to tour the show here and abroad in 2019 - and to continue the conversation...”
Gordon Millar, Unity Theatre Artistic Director and CEO, also comments: “I’m delighted to welcome Ad Infinitum to Unity with No Kids, having seen and loved the production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2018. The piece has all the facets of a great night out at the theatre – it’s exuberant and funny, but also deeply touching with a powerful message. It’s truly a highlight of our spring season, and I know that Liverpool audiences will love it.”
Ad Infinitum (formerly Theatre Ad Infinitum) is an international ensemble based in Bristol, developing new and original theatre. Founded in 2007, Ad Infinitum is led by Co-Artistic Directors, Nir Paldi and George Mann. They create shape-shifting socio-political theatre to provoke, move and inspire through innovative storytelling and bold experimental styles. Ad Infinitum’s theatre draws upon the power of the body, engages audiences with urgent issues, and ignites passionate debate. Previous shows include Translunar Paradise, Odyssey, Bucket List, Light,and Ballad of the Burning Star, and 2019 will see the premiere of their new work exploring threats to Deaf culture, Extraordinary Wall of Silence (working title). Ad Infinitum is Associate Artist at Bristol Old Vic and The North Wall.
24th – 25th January - Unity Theatre, Liverpool
1 Hope Place, Liverpool L1 9BG
7.30pm | £15 (£12 conc) | Group bookings of 8+ £5
www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk | 0151 709 4988
@TheatreAdInf | #NoKids | www.ad-infinitum.org
Running Time: 65 mins | Suitable for ages 14+
