with Abigail Conway
Party Skillls For The End Of The World
Manchester International Festival ‘17
A celebration of the people of Manchester in the wake of the the horrific events of May 2017
“I can imagine a LOT of people will go to Party Skills and come out having had the best night of their lives – and they should, and I’m glad that they will. One of the first comments I made after I came out of Party Skills was “It’s very Manchester”. I didn’t explain that, because I wasn’t sure what that meant – it was simply a feeling. A few days later, I’ll try to describe it. It feels broadly political, but it’s also personal. It’s learning, it’s communal, it’s like nothing else. It’s an enormous house party with surprises and mad dancing (if you want) and music that envelopes you if you give in to it. That’s what’s very Manchester, to me at least. You’ll have your own Manchester, and your own experience of Party Skills."
Laura Maley "CULTURAL SHENANIGANS
Nigel Barrett and Louise Mari have created this immersive, chaotic and high-spirited performance to help you get by when the end of the world is nigh. Party Skills for the End of the World asks us to celebrate our experiences and our individuality and resist the fear that stifles our enjoyment of living.
It's a site-specific show, set in the corridors, labs and vaults of Salford’s Centenary Building, which blurs the boundaries between performance and spectatorship. Who are the performers here and who are the audience? And arguably, one of the strengths of this show – is that you never really know.
This is intelligent, immersive performance on a grand scale.
Party Skills for the End of the World is an innovative experience and as a member of the audience – the more you contribute to the performance, the more you get out. The performance stays with you long after you have left the wild confines of the Centenary Building and certainly fuels a conversation that carries on long after the dancing has ended."
Kristy Stott Upstaged Manchester ****
It's a site-specific show, set in the corridors, labs and vaults of Salford’s Centenary Building, which blurs the boundaries between performance and spectatorship. Who are the performers here and who are the audience? And arguably, one of the strengths of this show – is that you never really know.
This is intelligent, immersive performance on a grand scale.
Party Skills for the End of the World is an innovative experience and as a member of the audience – the more you contribute to the performance, the more you get out. The performance stays with you long after you have left the wild confines of the Centenary Building and certainly fuels a conversation that carries on long after the dancing has ended."
Kristy Stott Upstaged Manchester ****
Gemma Ashcroft @AshcroftGemma
LOVED #partyskillsfortheendoftheworld Fun, surprising and moving at times. One of the most memorable things I've ever seen
Charlie @LottieDean
If you do one thing this year do this, absolutely brilliant, I've never seen anything quite like it #partyskills #MIF17
Nicole Kenny @Nicole_Kenny
What a night! #PartySkills @MIFestival is amazing! Forget end of the world - that should happen every night
Geek Girl Up North
"This morning, we may ache from all the dancing, but one thing is certain, that was the best night out we’ve had in a long time. If that was how the world had ended, I’d be ok with that."
Jake Garriock @JWGarriock
Party Skills for The End Of The World had me crying tears of joy at my own pathetic humanity. Recommended.
Linford Butler @LinfordB 4
Phwoar. Party Skills for the End of the World @MIFestival was incredible. Textured, well-told and infectious fun
Iain Brassington @IBrasso
Still not sure what to make of #partyskills, but I can now snare a rabbit, make a lava-lamp, and turn a teaspoon into a weapon. #MIF17
Kristy Stott @Kristobel
I've learnt more useful things tonight at #PartySkillsForTheEndoftheWorld than I did during my 5 years at Grammar School @MIFestival - INSANE !
Scotty @ScottEyton
Still not sure what I just experienced but I’m drunk and have a party bag so it’s all good!
#PartySkillsForTheEndOfTheWorld
Duncan Elliott @duncphoto 29
Saw @MIFestival Party Skills for the End of the World last night. Absolutely incredible!!
Mark Roberts @MDRoberts82 27
#partyskills blew me away...... totally amazing!
Martin Sutherland @masutherland 7
"Good people of the world, what is that we fear?" asks Party Skills @MIFestival. "Immersive theatre" would be my usual reply. Not this time!
Harriet Mallion @MissMallion
Super impressed by #PartySkills @MIFestival tonight Loved every minute.
Rachel Fox @therealdaftbear
Hands down #partyskillsfortheendoftheworld is the best thing at #MIF this year.
Laura Maley @elle_c_emm
Get a group of friends and see for yourself. The concept, design & staging is simply fantastic. It's strange & brilliant. I hated it. I loved it. It's very Manchester. #MIF17
Graham Whitehead @graham_gw 8
Absolutely loved #partyskillsfortheendoftheworld ... mad, bonkers, strange, wonderful! @MIFestival
fereshteh @feresht60750842
What an incredible, entertaining, intellectual show-party tonight. So relevant, moving and engaging.
Stephen Sorrell @StevieSorrell
So much fun but also disturbing and thought provoking #partyskills @MIFestival well done
Jonathan Collins @JonathanAColls
Exciting, bizzare, insightful, great fun. @MIFestival just delivered an amazing experience #partyskills for the end of the world! Superb!
Pip Rustage @_PipSqueek
Loved every weird second of it x
Camilla Thomas @darkgreentrees
#partyskillsfortheendoftheworld - a thought-churning event
Megan Marie Griffith @MeganMegaMegMe
If you've not got #PartySkills tickets @MIFestival yet GET ON IT! Best 2 hours entertainment/experience ever - absolutely loved it
Jenny Gaskell @JenniferGaskell
I don't think I'd even witnessed pure joy until I saw @Emmott_Sarah dancing at the end of the world #MIF17
Pip Rustage @_PipSqueek
#partyskillsfortheendoftheworld
The most bananas thing. So much fun and also deeply poignant
Mark Roberts @MDRoberts
Speech at #party Skills tonight. Took my breath away. #mif
NiktoriaM @NiktoriaM
Came home from #partyskills with my brother and had a little chat about how amazing life really is!
