Let your hair down when The head Wrap Diaries show comes to Barnard Castle

HAIR – worn long, worn short, worn wavy or in braids – is the subject of The Head Wrap Diaries, a funny and uplifting dance theatre performance by London based company Uchenna Dance touring to The Witham on Friday.

Told through the stories of three very different black women playing at least two roles each, Head Wrap Diaries is an interactive show set in a hair salon about people, and their ongoing relationship with hair.

Mixing dance, theatre and storytelling, with a good dose of humour, The Witham will be transformed into a Be-U-Tiful hair salon, with wig stands and chairs set around a performing space.

Audience members are welcomed by stylists Linda and Riyah who will take them on a hair journey that will have them laughing out loud, thinking about their own (and everyone else’s!) hair while learning a thing or two about afro-hair, straight from the hairdresser’s chair.

This dance experience is performed by dancers Shanelle Clemenson, Sheila Attah, Habibat Ajayi to a fabulous score by Ghanaian musician Kweku Aacht, who provides a sizzling soundtrack of sounds from 90s R’n’B to traditional Ghanaian pop music. The event will feature a hands-on pre-show installation and post show head wrap bar that includes head wraps for sale, newly commissioned art work, photography, dolls and examples of afro textured hair.

Audiences will have the opportunity to learn and share different ways of tying head wraps and can bring their own fabric or experiment with the pieces provided.

Uchenna Dance was formed in 2009 by artistic director and choreographer Vicki Igbokwe.

Her most recent credits include being mass movement co-ordinator for Danny Boyle’s opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London 2012 and for the opening ceremonies for Sochi 2014.

Sarah Gent, The Witham’s marketing manager said :“We are very excited to see The Witham transformed into a hair studio for the night and to the experience that Uchenna have in store.

“Highlights Rural Touring scheme bring fantastic theatre to rural locations and this will be a night not to be missed in Barnard Castle.”

The event starts at 7.30pm, with tickets £8 or £6 concessions. Family ticket cost £25,

Call 01833 631107 to book, or pop into the box office from 10am to 4pm.