Treflord (Great Britain)

About performance :

Artist and cultural innovator Ivan Michael Blackstock explores themes of life, death and rebirth in this Olivier Awarding-winning show.

Wandering between dreams and reality, TRAPLORD takes audiences on a new heroic journey to self-actualisation.

Using dance, theatre and spoken word to explore raw themes of mental health and masculinity, TRAPLORD is an invitation to question the stereotyping of Black men in contemporary western society – portraying an attempt to escape from a mental state of being condemned before having lived.

TRAPLORD premiered at 180 Studios, London and won the 2023 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production. Ivan Michael Blackstock is a multidisciplinary creative known for his work as an artist, mentor and cultural innovator.

A Co-Production with ALTRUVIOLET, Factory International and Sadler’s Wells.

Running time: 60 mins.

Ivan Michael Blackstock Bio

Ivan Michael Blackstock is a South London-born multidisciplinary creative, whose work as an artist, mentor, and cultural innovator has been seen across the Europe’s most iconic venues and beyond.

Ivan is focused on his work as an independent artist, creating thought-provoking and political artistic expressions. His work have been showcased on TV and at iconic venues worldwide, including Sadler’s Wells, 180 Studios, La Villette in Paris, Kampnagel in Hamburg, and ITA in Amsterdam and is proudly recognized for his award for Breakthrough Cultural Excellence in Film and Video (Nowness Awards 2019), Dazed 100 shortlist, 2021 and his role as contributing editor at Fact Magazine.

His growing success has catapulted his career into a multidimensional innovative space, and he has since founded CRXSS PLATFXRM, an organization platforming talent that constructs new paths for subculture creatives. CRXSS PLATFXRM also delivers high-profile partnership events and consultancy with major cultural venues, brands and independent businesses such as Nike, Red Bull, Soho House and UAL: Central Saint Martins.

Now extending his creativity by tapping into the world of film and media. Ivan created TRAPLORD BLK MEME/RA for Channel 4 Random Acts in Autumn 2021, choreographing for Beyonce’s Black Is King and Grammy award-winning music video 'Brown Skin Girl', as well as founding his very own media production company ALTRUVIOLET, for which TRAPLORD is the premier work and winner for Britain's most prestigious stage honors, The 2023 Olivier Awards for best new dance production. His most recent career highlights include serving as Former Artistic Director at 180 Studios and his appointment as Associate Artist at The Southbank Centre announced autumn 2024.
 

Press :

Media Quotes

“Traplord is loud, audacious, edgy, surprisingly sensitive and worth seeing”

★★★★ The Times

“It’s a truly impressive piece, a confident mixture of speech, theatre, music and dance, tied together”

★★★★ The Guardian

“Technically brilliant and conceptually unique exploration of Blackness and masculinity”

★★★★ The Stage

Start: 19:00

The festival is initiated and hosted by Tbilisi City Hall

The general sponsor of the 2025 festival is Visa / TBC Concept

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Discount information:

- 20% for the first 10 days of ticket sales:

During the pre-sale, from July 11 to 15, a 20% discount will be applied to TBC Concept Visa debit card holders.

*The next 7 days will be open to all other card holders, however

-20% discount will remain only for TBC Concept Visa card holders.