From circus performers to a silent disco: Theatre acts announced for Summer Streets in Sunderland

The Bicycle Ballet will be performing at Summer Streets

As well as a musical line-up, this year’s festival, which takes place at Cliffe Park in Seaburn on Saturday, July 13, will have a programme of dance, circus and street theatre performances.

Organiser Ross Millard said: “One hugely successful element to last year’s Tall Ships visit was the performance programme delivered by Sunderland Culture. We thought it would be great to add a similar feel to this year’s festival so have developed an exciting programme with Sunderland Culture’s Head of Performance, Helen Green.”

Alongside Roxy Girls, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Paul Smith from Maximo Park, this year’s programme also features aerial artist Emma Bloomfield; the Bicycle Ballet group; street theatre performers The Fairly Famous Family and a silent disco with theatre group Wet Picnic.

The Fairly Famous Family will be at Summer Streets. Photo by Chris Taylor

“Emma Bloomfield is a brilliant Sunderland-based aerial artist who performed at the Tall Ships; Bicycle Ballet are an amazing group of cyclists who deliver highly-choreographed, formation cycling routines; The Fairly Famous Family are street performers who will interact with the Summer Streets audience, while Wet Picnic’s Club Shed performance will be unusual and inventive,” explained Helen.

“Wet Picnic have a range of performances they regularly produce, but for Summer Streets will be performing Club Shed, a unique take on a silent disco, that will be delivered in a marquee on the Cliffe Park site,” explained Helen.

Although the majority of musical performers will be from the region, the programme includes Aristas del Gremio, a Spanish brass/funk band.

Other talent from closer to home includes hip hop artist Kay Greyson; soul band Vandebilt; Gateshead singer songwriter Morris Ford and party band Hip Hop Hooray. Young people from We Make Culture’s Young Songwriters’ group will also be performing.

Treats for younger festival goers will include Tiny Tweeties singing classes; a junkyard orchestra workshop from early-years arts group Chalk; kite making from Pauline Taylor and theatre-for-one shadow puppetry from Lyn Killeen.

*Summer Streets is at Cliffe Park from noon to 7pm on July 13. Entry is free.