JADAR

Aviva Studios, home of Factory International, is officially open!

I attended a press conference and press viewing of Yayoi Kusama: You, Me and the Balloons at the venue on the first day of Manchester International Festival 2023. The venue was open over summer for the exhibition and a few MIF shows. But yesterday, the venue had its official opening, with a press conference and the press night of Free Your Mind, following a preview run of the show.

The conference began with a speech by John McGrath, artistic director and chief executive of Factory International and Manchester International Festival. He was followed by the Right Honorable Lucy Frazer KC MP, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; Councillor Bev Craig, the Leader of Manchester City Council; and Sir Nicholas Serota, CH, the Chair of Arts Council England.

Mcgrath then welcomed the creative team of Free Your Mind to the stage: director Danny Boyle, choreographer and star Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy MBE, composer Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante MBE, and stage designer Es Devlin CBE RDI. Not present were Sabrina Mahfouz FRSL (who wrote the words in the dance piece) and Gareth Pugh (who designed the costumes).

The panel told us all about Free Your Mind, an immersive, hip-hop dance adaptation of The Matrix, which takes place in three different spaces: the pre-show and interval performances take place in the foyer; the first act takes place in the Hall; the second act takes place in the Warehouse.

I had the pleasure of briefly speaking to Danny Boyle. I could have spoken to him got longer but I didn’t want to miss the tour! Boyle, one of the world’s biggest directors and producers, is an Oscar winner (3 x nominee), 2 x BAFTA winner (6 x nominee), Golden Globe winner (2 x nominee), Emmy winner and Satellite Award winner. His credits include Shallow Grave, Trainspotting and its sequel T2 Trainspotting, The Beach, 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Slumdog Millionaire (the biggest British film of the 2000s), 127 Hours, Steve Jobs, Yesterday, and Isles of Wonder (the official opening ceremony of the London Olympics).

I thanked Boyle for making Slumdog Millionaire, for it was the first positive representation I had as a kid, as both a South Asian and a Muslim – also, my name is Jamaal!

Boyle admitted that when they began making the film, people thought that they were crazy. They were told that nobody would want to see a British film without any British characters – but it went on to become the biggest British film of the decade!

Boyle had never visited India before filming the movie. His father had lived there during the Second World War; British soldiers were stationed there, with Japan having joined the war. His father lover India and was an ardent anti-racist. Boyle is grateful for that because he grew up in a very racist time.

After finding out that I had never been to India, Boyle told me that I must go, but he warned me that nothing quite prepares you for it – though he acknowledged that my experience will be different because I am South Asian. Boyle said that India is overwhelming, in a good way, and every region is so different. He spent a year out there and loved ever minute of it.

Boyle told me that if I ever visit India, I should read Suketu Mehta’s Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found beforehand. He was told to read it before travelling to India and was grateful for it: it helps prepare you for it – even if nothing quite prepares you for it!

After the conference, press received a guided tour of the venue – and seeing the Hall and Warehouse had us especially excited for Free Your Mind that evening!

Free Your Mind began its run at Aviva Studios on October 13; it runs until November 5.