Childhood is where we often establish life long friendships, a formative aspect of our lives, the school setting offers an integral opportunity to not only learn, but socialise. From a young age, we also begin to pick up on societal cues, cues that determine our life paths and shape daily interactions. Having debuted their production Playfight last year, Orisun Productions, consisting of producer Shereener Browne and director Leian John-Baptiste present an examination of the corrosive way in which racism determines the direction Black lives take, the show following best friends Kai, TJ and Zara who initially inseparable encounter change that challenges this. Currently playing at Theatre Peckham as part of their fringe festival, Shereener and Leian tell us more about the show’s pertinent topic, taking part in the inaugural Peckham Fringe Festival and what audiences can expect!
Within the past decade, the face of food delivery has shaped how we dine at home, food delivery apps our new normal, delivery drivers now a staple on our streets, with food now accessible at the click of a button. Inspired by his own experiences within the service and delivery jobs sector, writer Max Wilkinson created show Rainer during the initial 2020 lockdown, an unpredictable time period that would place a higher demand on the delivery sector. Rainer explores the experiences of the eponymous solitary bicycle delivery driver as she whizzes across London in response to demand, placing her much needed voice centre stage. Currently playing at the Arcola Theatre, Max tells us more about exploring his own personal experiences further, the show’s two year creative process and working with his fellow team to realise the show!
A city situated in Central China’s Hubei province, Wuhan is the largest and most populous within Hubei – China’s capital for a short period in the late 1920s, the city would go on to serve as the country’s wartime capital in 1937 during WWII. To this day, the city holding a powerful influence within various arenas within Central China including the political and economical. Born in Wuhan in the 90s, comic Moni Zhang shares her experiences of home, family and school before making the move to study abroad in Germany in her stand up show Moni Zhang: Child From Wuhan.
A superpower I’m sure many would wish to have, the concept of invisibility has captured the imaginations of many. Originally published in 1897, H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man has done just this – the tale following scientist Griffin’s discovery of how to make himself invisible, this starting off a chain of events that lead to life changing circumstances before his true form is revealed. Inspired by the work of Wells, AKIMBO present No One, a supernatural thriller taking us on an unpredictable journey of the metaphysical.
In 2016, the world’s first social humanoid robot named SOPHIA was activated, developed in Hong Kong, SOPHIA would go on to part take in various interviews across the globe, which as you can imagine caused further intrigue. Inspired by where we’re currently at within our fourth Industrial Revolution, K&A present Am I A Robot?, which forms part of Brighton Fringe’s Dutch Season.
Defined as a pensive sadness, the feeling of melancholy can feel isolating, numbing. A state of mind rarely discussed openly, it can feel never ending. An exploration of melancholy and what it looks and feels like, duo DeRonde/Deroo present Amsterdam Best of Fringe Award winning show After the Echo, described as a ‘glittery ode to melancholy’, the show forms part of Brighton Fringe’s Dutch Season.
Courtesy of Joshua Walter.
We’re inundated with data continually, our electronic devices one click away from the latest friend request, news story or glossy photo, amongst a plethora of other things. A couple of decades into our ‘Information Age’ whereby social media is now our main means of communicating and connecting with loved ones as well as forming new bonds and we’re now really starting to see the impact of this ever evolving phenomena and its prevalence within the day to day. An exploration of the darker aspects of social media – the instant fame that comes from going viral, the trolling and cyber bullying that comes from this and the need for better mental health precautions, writer Susan Momoko Hingley and Honey-Tongued Theatre Productions present Petal.
Our families are what keep us rooted, often our first interaction with the wider world, here is where initial meaningful connections are formed. Marking the re-opening of the Arcola Theatre with their spring season, Barney Norris returns with the premiere of his latest work We Started to Sing, a piece tracing the distance that grows amongst a family over 3 decades as they pave new lives for themselves across the UK. Having recently just opened, the production plays until Saturday 18th June. Forming part of the production’s ensemble, cast member Naomi Petersen tells us more about what inspired her to take part in the show, what preparing for her role involved and what she’s learned from the creative process.
The UK theatre industry’s two leading membership associations, Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, today announced a unique partnership with data and insight specialists Baker Richards to develop a new ‘Evidence Centre’.
In Yoruba (a tribe located in Nigeria) tradition, it is believed that there were 17 original Orishas (Gods) that were sent to Earth, the Orisha Olodumare, the source of creation. A tradition shared by Caribbean and Southern American Spanish traditions also, this creation story forms the cultural heritage and spiritual well being of many. Obatala the creator of humanity, Osun (Oshun), the goddess of water, purity, fertility and love, Shango the god of thunder, Esun (Eshun), the trickster god, the divine messenger and Olorun, one of the supreme Orishas, the ruler of the heavens. A celebration of Nigerian mythology, Imagiphoria Studios present Message in a Clay River, an exploration of the Yoruba pantheon.
