Marischal College Quad in Aberdeen to be transformed into the Wonder Hoose for festival of music, comedy, theatre and dance
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The iconic quadrangle in the heart of Marischal College is set to be transformed into unique festival venue Wonder Hoose throughout September.
A daily programme of music, comedy, theatre, dance and family shows will launch on Friday, September 9, beginning with Aberdeen’s own song-writing sensation Kathryn Joseph, with support from Hamish Hawk.
Built to amaze, the Wonder Hoose – which has been brought to life by local designer Laura Bremner of Juniper Press - will bring a unique festival vibe to the city for three weeks with a programme that includes folk favourites Saltfishforty, comedians Seann Walsh and Sara Barron and free local music nights.
The venue will form part of the Wonderland and True North festivals, which are set to take the city by storm in September.
Wonderland is a four-day curated festival that will illuminate and celebrate Aberdeen, with free performances and events popping up across the city centre between September 8 and 11.
Next to take to the Wonder Hoose stage on September 10 will be Little Joy, an all-terrain vehicle of mass destruction for three charmingly violent dancers.
Slapstick punches, slaps and kicks are built into intricate sequences of consensual violence, resulting in a hilarious contemporary dance performance.
They’ll be followed at 8pm by salsa band Son Al Son, whose original music will get your feet tapping and on the floor dancing.
Sunday will take younger audience members on a journey across the seas, with Two in a Barrel - a clown-inspired theatre performance for over-5s about the waste we create, the destructive consequences of our habits and co-existing in an environment with limited resources - at 10.30am and 1.30pm.
The show features two lively quirky best friends – Riri and Moku – who are confined to a barrel sitting on top of an island of rubbish in the ocean.
The final Wonderland event in the Wonder Hoose will be Tickbox at 7pm, starting Lubna Kerr, who played Mina in Still Game at Glasgow’s Hydro in 2014, and grew up as the Scottish daughter of Pakistani immigrants.
Her first play, which is both semi-autobiographical and bilingual, will see her play all the characters in her own engaging style.
Aberdeen Performing Arts’ director of programming and creative projects Ben Torrie said: “Wonder Hoose is set to be a stunning venue installed within one of the city’s most famous sites.
"We have created a fantastic programme of events, starting during Wonderland with the fantastic Kathryn Joseph - and tickets are selling fast.
“Wonder Hoose will remain in place throughout September, with the varied programme continuing for three weeks to keep the spirit of Wonderland alive over the early autumn evenings before paving the way for True North.”
A total of 21 acts will take to the stage over 16 days. Wonder Hoose will close on September 25 with Scottish songwriter Michael Timmons and his blend of fragile music, sustained by reverb laden finger-plucked electric guitar.
True North, the award-winning music festival, takes place between September 22 and 25.
For more information and to book Wonder Hoose shows, visit www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/festivals-and-series/wonder-hoose.
