Physical Fest returns with world premiere for 2023 edition

Liverpool’s international physical theatre festival returns to city venues this month with a nine-day programme of events.

Physical Fest, from June 29 to July 7, is one of only two dedicated physical theatre festivals in the UK and attracts participants from all over the world.

It was founded in 2005 as a bi-annual celebration of diverse performances, workshops, talks and debates.

This year’s festival opens with a world premiere at the Liverpool Everyman. SealSkin, running from June 29 to July 1, involves performers from Liverpool, the US, Spain and Portugal and combines physicality, the ‘selkies’ of Scottish folklore and music from acoustic folk duo Me + Deboe.

Elinor Randle, artistic director and co-founder of Liverpool’s Tmesis Theatre which organises Physical Fest, said: "SealSkin is a story of betrayal, power, identity, otherness and loss enveloped in a battle of longing and belonging.

“It's the perfect way to launch our festival this year and we're delighted to be teaming up Me + Deboe on this unique show."

Meanwhile the Unity Theatre will host international shows throughout the festival including Choosh! - the sell-out 2022 Edinburgh hit from Estonian clown Julia Masli, Blind by the Netherlands' Duda Paiva Company, who create physical and visual performances with puppet dance partners, and DIVE, a night of new work from four female artists.

And the Invisible Wind Factory is the venue for an award-winning clown show by American artist Doctor Brown.

Tmesis Training Company is creating new outdoor show for families to be enjoyed for free over the first weekend.

And along with performances, the festival also hosts an eight-day programme of workshops from local, national and international artists, including London's Babel Theatre, and Colectivo Jat from Portugal, who will be exploring the Japanese Suzuki theatre technique.

Physical Fest runs from June 29 to July 7. Full programme details and booking HERE