Detention
The Space
3 – 7 June (and touring)
“In 1988, a piece of legislation from Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Government devastated lives… Forcing people from the LGBT+ community into a place of secrecy, fear and shame at a time when the country was in industrial turmoil and the gay community was being ravaged by the onslaught of AIDS.
DETENTION is a bold and moving new work by GARY CLARKE COMPANY, following the multi award-winning COAL and critically-acclaimed WASTELAND, exploring SECTION 28, which ‘prohibited the promotion of homosexuality’.”
Review by Richard Lambert, 4 Stars
A powerful piece of theatre has been created to tell the harrowing effects of marginalising communities and putting laws into place that telegraph diversity as immoral and an illegal act to be stamped out. Section 28 was an abhorrent, cruel and unnecessary piece of legislation aimed at forcing conventional behaviour into British children and citizens, or at the very least, making anyone of difference to try to hide their individuality from society.
All the more important that theatre shows the World the harm that Governments can cause people when they use their power to introduce bigotted legislation and bullying police tactics. We are witnessing this in real life right now with Trump’s America and within our own country in the form of Reform manifestos.
This is a dance company and a dance piece however it’s the story that’s told that grips. Supported by a great design (Ryan Dawson-Laight), brilliant musical compositions and video projections, you don’t really have time to marvel at the skill of the dancers as they perform. The dancing is very emotionally charged but don’t expect to be wowed by partner or group work as it’s mainly isolated dancing with emotional projection in abundance.
The narrator, Lewey Hellewell, is spot on with his characterisations – going from unsavoury conservative politicians to the voice of victims and children displaced by their parents seeking support from Switchboard. Hellewell holds it all together.
Five local LGBT+ community members are also included in the performance and are guided around the stage by the dancers. Not sure their addition was enhancing or intrusive however in the spirit of inclusiveness I can understand why they were there.
Taking this historical message and creating this high quality performance piece is inspirational for theatre and should not only be applauded but also seen by everyone. Please buy tickets and support theatre that’s vitally important!
Photo credit: Joe Armitage
Running time | Approx. 85 minutes with no interval
Age suitability | 14+ (Schools Guidance)
Gary Clarke Company are proud to partner with Switchboard for the DETENTION Tour |
SWITCHBOARD | LGBTQIA+ Support Line 0800 0119 100.
Support Credits |
DETENTION is produced by: GARY CLARKE COMPANY LTD
Co-commissioned by: Nottingham Playhouse, Grand Theatre Blackpool, Lawrence Batley Theatre, Cast, The Place. Midlands co-presenter: FABRIC
GARY CLARKE COMPANY is supported using public funding through Arts Council England and core funding from John Ellerman Foundation.
GARY CLARKE COMPANY – Co-founded and led by Artistic Director, Gary Clarke and
Executive Producer, Annabel Dunbar, is a pioneering, award-winning dance theatre company based in South Yorkshire. Renowned for high impact, high quality and high legacy work, the company tours extensively on the mid-scale across the UK and continues to nurture new partners and touring networks at home and abroad.
Between 2016 and 2023 GARY CLARKE COMPANY co-created and toured extensively two full length theatre shows: COAL (Winner of a UK Theatre Award and a Critics Circle National Dance Award) and WASTELAND, presenting 100 shows (54 x COAL and 46 x WASTELAND) across 51 venues, primarily on the mid-scale in England, as well as touring into Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and Germany attracting over 30,000 show audiences and engaging over 17,000 participants.
GARY CLARKE – is an acclaimed British Choreographer, Performer and Movement Director. His theatrical dance works have toured extensively both nationally and internationally to critical and audience acclaim.
Gary’s work has received a number of awards including for Gary Clarke Company (COAL) a UK Theatre Award for Achievement in Dance and Critics Circle National Dance Award. For Akademi, a Herald Angel Award (The Troth), and The Summerhall Lustrum Award (The Troth). He has also created stage and site-specific work for a number of companies and organisations including The National Theatre, Opera North, Sky Arts, Hull City of Culture and The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Gary has worked as a movement specialist on a number of large-scale feature films including World War Z and The Mummy.
His past performance credits include work with some of the UK’s leading dance companies including Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, Lloyd Newson’s DV8 Physical Theatre, balletLORENT, Lea Anderson’s The Cholmondeleys & The Featherstonehaughs, Sadler’s Wells Productions, Phoenix Dance Theatre and Candoco Dance Company / Jerome Bel.
In 2017, Gary was appointed as an Honorary Fellow at The Northern School of Contemporary Dance.
DETENTION 2025 TOUR DATES:
NOTTINGHAM* | Playhouse PREMIERE
Thurs 8 & Fri 9 May, 8pm
For Tickets nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk or 0115 941 9419
SALFORD | The Lowry
Wed 14 & Thurs 15 May, 8pm
For Tickets thelowry.com or 0161 876 2000
HUDDERSFIELD* | Lawrence Batley Theatre
Wed 21 & Thurs 22 May 2025, 7.30pm
For Tickets thelbt.org or 01484 430 528
LONDON* | The Place
Tues 3, Wed 4, Thurs 5, Fri 6 & Sat 7 June 2025, 7.30pm
For Tickets theplace.org.uk or 020 7121 1100
NEWCASTLE | Northern Stage |
Tue 16 & Wed 17 Sep 2025, 7.30pm
For Tickets northernstage.co.uk or 0191 230 5151
OXFORD | Playhouse|
Fri 26 & Sat 27 Sep 2025, 7.30pm
For Tickets oxfordplayhouse.com or 01865 305 305
DONCASTER* | Cast |
Tue 30 Sep & Wed 1 Oct 2025, 7.30pm
For Tickets castindoncaster.com or 01302 303 959
BLACKPOOL* | The Grand |
Wed 8 & Thur 9 Oct 2025, 7.30pm
For Tickets blackpoolgrand.co.uk or 01253 290 190
BRIGHTON | Corn Exchange | ON SALE tbc
Tue 14 & Weds 15 Oct 2025, time tbc
For Tickets brightondome.org or 01273 709709
* = Co-commissioner