Gorillaz creators Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett are to collaborate on an innovative new circus production to open next year.

“Monkey: Journey to the West”, a groundbreaking new circus opera is currently in production. Albarn will create the musical soundtrack, and Hewlett will design, both are the creators of phenomenally successful cartoon band Gorillaz.

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The show is the opening production of the highly anticipated Manchester International Festival to be held next June.

As a pre-festival warm-up, 2005’s live performances of “Gorillaz: Demon Days” were commissioned. Gorillaz, the hip-hop cartoon band sold out five nights at Manchester’s Opera House theatre performing their second album “Demon Days” live, to great critical acclaim. The original show included 3D puppets, a school choir, “Happy Monday”’s Shaun Ryder and a wealth of colour in animation and lights. It was later released on DVD as ‘Demon Days Live At The Manchester Opera House’.

“Monkey: Journey to the West” has additionally been designed and created by the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris in co-production with the Manchester International Festival and State Opera in Berlin.

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“Monkey: Journey To The West” runs from 28 June – 7 July 2007.

Tickets go onsale October 31 from 10.30am.