Post World War II Britain, migrants from the commonwealth nations were invited to live and work here in an effort to help rebuild the country in response to the consequential labour shortage, 1948 marking the beginnings of a time period whereby migrants would go on to help start shaping a multi-cultural Britain, as migrants from Jamaica embarked on an unpredictable journey on the Empire Windrush, concluding at Tilbury Dock, Essex. A new chapter for all, with the hopes of establishing better lives for themselves, as well as providing for their families, the harsh realities of having to assimilate to a social and political climate not as welcoming would become clear. Migrants from various other Caribbean nations following suit and facing the same realities. Exploring this familiar tale of migration, writer Mia Jerome presents Rice & Peas, produced by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and due to play at Metal Culture, Southend-on-Sea from the 28th to 30th April. Looking back at couple Figgy and Edith’s last meal together in Grenada, 1948 before Figgy leaves for Britain, Rice & Peas boasts a specially crafted Caribbean menu by celebrated chef Jon Bentham – the title of course alluding to the West Indian staple, the show rooting all in the couple’s cultural heritage. Ahead of the show, Mia tells us more about exploring the story further, being supported by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Creative Estuary Commissions and working with Jon Bentham to realise the menu!
With both the Peckham (South East London) and Tobacco Dock (East London) Skylight Bar venues offering unique, panoramic views of their respective localities, they’re both the perfect venue for catching up with friends and loved ones, holding meetings or the perfect location for that much needed alternate setting if you’ve been working from home with their hot-desking facilities from £10 a day. From a choice of bottomless brunches, food and cocktails and live music, Skylight Bar – with their huts, booths and tables, Skylight Bar is a venue to visit. Celebrating a new edition to their cocktail menu, ‘The Dame Judi’ – named after the iconic actress of theatre and film and which is described as being ‘sweet and sharp with a full, rich finish from the Grand Marnier Cognac’, the new edition has been created not only to acknowledge the performer, but also to support access to drama training, with £1 from every sale going towards the Judi Dench Fund for Access to Drama Training set up in collaboration with renowned Peckham based drama school Mountview. We spoke to Skylight Bar who tell us more about the creative theatrical edition to their menu!
Founded in 1972, Contact Manchester has played a vital role in engaging artistically with its local community. A theatre particularly committed to supporting the young leaders of tomorrow, the multi-disciplinary venue continues on with its mission of placing the voices of the younger generation to the fore – its mission to place young people at the heart of decision making and help decide the artistic programme. Having been associated with Contact from the age of 15, poet, performance artist and producer Keisha Thompson has recently been announced as the venue’s incoming Artistic Director and CEO. The artist now gearing up to help programme the venue’s 50th birthday from June. Keisha tells us more about how she feels and what her hopes are for the theatre moving forward!
In a growingly technological world, whereby social media can often act as an initial point of the call, the concept of ‘the letter’ can seem distant. An email now the sign of our times, the writing and receiving of a physical letter connects us to a world of old, returning us back to a time whereby the letter dominated the realm of communication. Delving into the artistry of letter writing and the power of a letter in regards to uniting two or more souls who are at a distance, Kashyap Raja presents Letters at the Network Theatre.
Maharlika is a Filipino expression that roughly translates as ‘free man’ or ‘warrior man’. An expression that concisely encapsulates the concept of independence, this term is fitting for this integral movement committed to showcasing works for and from Filipino artists. Live streamed from Grow Hackney on Monday 28th February and available to access online for a short time via YouTube, Maharlika UK Filipino Artist Platform is a necessary step in the right direction in regards to fostering intercultural exchanges locally, brilliantly addressing the need for greater diversity on our stages.
Six years post arriving in the UK to seek a safer environment to live as a result of rising protests in his native Sudan, performer Mohand Hasb Alrosol Abdalrah generously offers his own experiences of not being able to return to his homeland, a story that I’m sure many who have migrated can relate to. Alongside fellow PSYCHEdelight theatre member Peter Pearson, Mohand & Peter fuses clowning, physical theatre and improvisation to craft 70mins of nostalgia, yet also looks towards the future.
When Thomas Bernhard’s last drama Heldenplatz (Heroes Square) premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienna on October 7, 1988, it caused a public uproar. Before the play was published, carefully selected extracts of the text had been leaked to various papers and, taken out of context, led to massive protests against the play. Austria’s president Kurt Waldheim, a former officer of the SA, called the drama an “insult to the Austrian people”, and Thomas Bernhard was physically assaulted for allegedly besmirching Austria’s reputation. Bernhard’s play led to a heated debate about Austria’s role in the Nazi era.
Courtesy of Judith Buss.
Launched in September of 2020, the T Level offers a practical alternative to the traditional A Level. A technical qualification equivalent to 3 A Levels, students benefit from a mixture of classroom based lessons and on the job experience, the courses included on the programme designed to meet the needs of our 21st century, post pandemic work force. Created in partnership with awarding organisation NCFE, 3 T Levels were made available from 2020 – Digital production, Design and Development/design, Surveying and Planning for Construction and Education and Childcare, with a further 7 launched in September of 2021 – Building Services Engineering for Construction/Digital business Services/Digital Support and Services/Health/Health Science/Onsite Construction/Science. The rest to be launched in 2022/2023, this including a course in craft and design. With some of the courses still currently being developed, NCFE’s Director of Qualifications and Assessment Zac Aldridge tells us more about designing the innovative courses!
The notion of ‘darkness’ differs culturally, the westernised view one of evil, fear and the unknown. A facet that we tend to brush aside and reserve for particular parts of the year, this seldom is focused on. Delving into her own ancestry and exploring the potent impact of generational trauma as well as the power of the spiritual realm, writer and performer Julene Robinson delivers a resonant hour of theatre, theatre as a form of healing.
The pinnacle of the film industry calendar, the Academy Awards will return for their 94th edition on Sunday 27th March at the Dolby Theatre, LA. With a total of 24 categories being recognised, the evening offers a chance to celebrate the great work produced by creatives devoted to their craft. Having won his first Academy Award – a Student Academy Award as a recent graduate of The Danish Film School at the time with short film Feeding Desire in 2001, before winning his second for This Charming Man in 2003, member of AMPAS (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) filmmaker Martin Strange-Hansen returns with his latest production On My Mind – a tale of loss drawing from his own personal experience of this. Announced as an Academy Award 2022 finalist on Tuesday 8th February in the ‘Best Live Action Short Film’, Martin tells us more about how he feels post announcement, working with double Academy Award® Winning producer Kim Magnusson and performers Rasmus Hammerich, Camilla Bendix and Ole Boisen and what he’s taken away from his varied career within film!