Courtesy of Yasmine Akim.

Committed to creating a safe, creative space for LGBTQIA+ artists, Ugly Duck is at the forefront of championing multidisciplinary live works that speak to the present day. Their annual @Disturbance festival, typically staged towards the end of each year, now set for an inaugural summer edition. The collaborative event seeing artists Alex Billingham, Samiir Saunders, Ace Rahman, Kobi Essah Ayensuo and Ella Frost inspired by Ugly Duck’s partnership with disabled led organisations Care-fuffle and Shape Arts to specifically create new pieces integrating captioning, audio description and BSL. Ahead of the event, to take place on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd June in Bermondsey, Ugly Duck’s Deen Atger tells us more about what to expect from this crucial, innovative event.

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Courtesy of Rankin.

Portraits of this year’s Olivier Award-winners and some of theatre biggest names, taken by acclaimed photographer Rankin, will be displayed on the Piccadilly Lights at 4pm on Tuesday 11 June as the Society of London Theatre celebrate the UK’s world-leading theatre industry. These striking portraits, sponsored by Fujifilm and photographed on their GFX100 ii large format camera, were taken at this year’s prestigious Olivier Awards with Mastercard of the ceremony’s star-studded array of winners and nominees. Alongside stills of the portraits, the Piccadilly Lights display will include video footage shot by Cameron O’Connell.

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Acclaimed British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and regarded British director Michael Winterbottom will receive this year’s Raindance Icon Awards, presented during the festival’s 32nd edition (19-28 June).

Chiwetel Ejiofor will be presented with his award at Raindance’s Opening Gala UK Premiere of Tilman Singer’s CUCKOO at Curzon Mayfair on 19 June. Michael Winterbottom with be presented with his award during Raindance’s Jury Awards ceremony at Wonderville on 27 June.

“As part of Raindance’s midsummer celebrations, it’s a privilege for us to bask in the radiance that surrounds this year’s Raindance Icon Award recipients,” says Raindance founder Elliot Grove. “Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Winterbottom have made important and outstanding contributions to independent cinema, both in front of and behind the camera. We are proud to recognise and honour their achievements with this award.”
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Two young writers have been announced today as the winners of this year’s New Views programme, the National Theatre’s annual playwriting competition for young people.

House on Fire by Luke Fields, 17, from Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School in Belfast and Teulu by Emyr Strudwick, 19, from Merthyr College in South Wales, will be presented as staged readings, followed by a post-performance discussion with the writers and directors in the Gorvy Rehearsal Room at the National Theatre on 4-5 July, as part of the free New Views Festival. Luke and Emyr will have the opportunity to develop their plays from page to stage alongside Director of the National Theatre Rufus Norris (Nye), who will direct Teulu, and theatre director Emily Burns (Dear Octopus), who will direct House on Fire.

New Views is the National Theatre’s nationwide playwriting programme for students aged 14-19. Participating schools work with a professional playwright to mentor students in writing their own original 30-minute play. 500 plays were submitted for New Views 2024 from 90 schools across the UK.

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Heavy metal icons PANTERA will return to the UK and Ireland in early 2025 for their first tour in over 20 years. Featuring original members, vocalist Philip H. Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown, alongside guitarist Zakk Wylde and drummer Charlie Benante, the latest stretch of live dates continues the celebration of the lives of late founding members, drummer Vinnie Paul and guitarist Dimebag Darrell. The tour kicks off on 18th February in Glasgow with shows in Leeds, Dublin, Birmingham, and London (full dates below). Artist presale tickets & VIP for these dates will go on sale on Tue, 18 June at 10am BST and public on sale will begin on Fri, 21 June at 10am BST here & LiveNation.co.uk.

The tour will follow PANTERA’s appearance at the 2024 edition of Download Festival, the band’s first UK appearance in three decades, as well as dates supporting Metallica on their North American stadium tour.

“When a newly restructured PANTERA took the stage at Milwaukee’s American Family Insurance Amphitheater, the chorus of cheers that greeted them was a voluminous mix of both excitement and disbelief.” — Illinois Entertainer

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