The ETPEP Award 2022 has been won by first time playwright by Saana Sze for their play Belly of the Beast.

YoungMartha, a bright and agreeable student, falls in love with Gia, who has had enough of school and teachers that don’t care about girls like her…

NowMartha enters the teaching industry, optimistic about making a positive change, but soon begins a quick journey towards disillusionment when they realise the corporate hell they’re in…

Black, non-binary and queer, Youngand NowMartha are set against rigid systems which insist they conform.

Belly of the Beast examines school politics, from the standpoint of both student and a teacher, as it asks “What are schools for?”

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Courtesy of Tom Morley.

Founded a decade ago in 2012 to platform the work of marginalised artists, performance venue Ugly Duck, located in Bermondsey – South East London, has been at the forefront of working with performance artists who are not afraid of exploring lesser talked about themes. Their @Disturbance Festival, now in its 4th year specifically created to showcase LGBTQ+ artists and stories. Set to show a multi-sensory, immersive work referencing the mythological creature the Bittern bird as part of Ugly Duck’s 10th year anniversary on the 10th,11th and 12th of November, performance artist Gisou Golshani tells us more about how they’ve approached creating the piece, what they’ve learned along the creative process and what the audience can expect!

Hi Gisou, you’ll be taking part in Ugly Duck’s @Disturbance Festival from 10th to 12th November. How are you feeling ahead of the event?

This is my first residency and I’ve really enjoyed taking the time to explore my ideas and engage in in-depth conversations with other queer creatives and professionals. Really excited to bring this project to life!

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One of the world’s most famous mountain ranges, the Himalayas – which homes the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, is one of our greatest wonders. A natural structure that inspires awe, it’s clear to see why this makes an intriguing backdrop for a motion picture, writer and director Suman Sen presenting The Silent Echo, a story about four children who play on a burnt-out mini-bus on land that only indigenous locals can cross, with what occurs next changing their lives. Having recently won ‘Best Short Film’ at the Raindance Film Festival and now eligible to be considered for a 2023 Academy Award, Suman tells us more about this thoughtful watch.

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