Gary Clarke - DETENTION

Gary Clarke Company’s thrilling new dance work DETENTION will explode into Blackpool Grand Theatre on Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 October as part of its smash-hit national tour.

This highly anticipated dance theatre piece has been co-commissioned by Blackpool Grand Theatre and marks the final chapter in a powerful performance trilogy from celebrated choreographer Gary Clarke which explores life in 1980s Britain. 

DETENTION builds on the legacy of Gary’s renowned previous works COAL and WASTELAND, while turning its focus to the devastating impact of Section 28 – the largely hidden legislation introduced under Margaret Thatcher’s government in 1988 that banned the ‘promotion of homosexuality’. This law forced LGBT+ communities into secrecy and fear at a time already marked by industrial decline and ravaged by the AIDS crisis.

Gary Clarke explains: “DETENTION is the third and final part of a trilogy of dance theatre works following the multi-award winning COAL and critically acclaimed WASTELAND. What unites this trilogy is 1980s Britain - a time when our country was governed by Margaret Thatcher and how different marginalised communities fought for their human rights, their livelihoods and their existence.”

Drawing on testimonies, public records, and rare archives such as the LGBT+ Switchboard Logbooks, Clarke combines personal storytelling with striking choreography, an evocative narrator, a local LGBT+ community cast, and a searing soundtrack featuring the legendary industrial band TEST DEPT. The production is further elevated by bold film, sound, light and costume design.

Blackpool Grand Theatre Chief Executive, Adam Knight, said: “We are honoured to be a co-commissioning partner on this extraordinary new production. DETENTION promises to be as bold, relevant and emotionally powerful as Gary Clarke Company’s previous works, and we cannot wait to share it with our audiences.”

Tickets from £15 – BOOK NOW

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