Welcome to Bear Ridge, a snowy mountain village suspended in time, once thriving but now forgotten.  Ed Thomas’s setting for On Bear Ridge possesses an uncanny resemblance to the current neglected valleys of Wales – places that have been lost to the attractive cities that chug with power and production. Cities that have no time for the sleepy likes of John Daniel (Rhys Ifans) and Noni (Rakie Ayola), the convivial shop owners of Bear Ridge Stores who, with slaughterhouse boy Ifan William (Sion Daniel Young), refuse to leave their much loved home.

Courtesy of Mark Douet.

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Certain Blacks return with their latest festival, ‘Circus Circus Circus’, a mixed programme of live art, spoken word, jazz, opera and circus. An eclectic performance line up, Certain Blacks continue on their mission to showcase works exploring themes via various theatrical forms. Bringing his latest show 24 Italian Songs and Arias to Rich Mix London on Friday 8th November, Performance Artist and Storyteller Brian Lobel’s production is an exploration of failure, loss and family; presented in the form of an operatic recital. Joined by soprano Gweneth Ann Rand, both performers reflect on previous experiences. Brian tells us more about the show!

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Over the top and elaborately self-deprecating, High Fidelity plays on masculine displacement of responsibility while offering a slightly tropey adaptation of Nick Hornby’s romcom of the same name. No matter how witty, charming, occasionally perceptive and colourful this musical is; I can’t help but leave with a feeling of something being missing.

Courtesy of Mark Senior.

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After his rather unsuccessful venture Caspar Western Friedrich, director Philippe Quesne returns to the Münchner Kammerspiele with a pastoral set in a dystopian future. Humanity has finally succeeded in destroying itself. Only four scarecrows remain on a farm, archivists of the past who run their own radio station.

Courtesy of Martin Argyroglo.

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Zinnie Harris’ Meet Me At Dawn was first performed at the Traverse Theatre in Scotland in 2017 and is now receiving its London première at the Arcola Theatre. The audience finds the two protagonists, Robyn played by Marianne Oldham and Helen played by Jessica Hardwick, marooned on a deserted beach.

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Inspired by her bilingual upbringing and identity, Singer/Songwriter Samia Malik recalls the songs from Bollywood films and Urdu Ghazals (a traditional poetical form originating from various Southern Asian cultures) that have inspired her creative process for her upcoming album. A celebration of world music, Samia will perform a varied set, joined by guitarist Giuliano Modarelli, multi instrumentalist Sianed Jones on violin, keyboards and bass guitar and renowned tabla player Sukhdeep Dhanjal. Ahead of the tour, starting off at Rich Mix London on Sunday 27th October, Samia tells us more about what to expect!

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In this production of The Wheel by Zinnie Harris, the audience is exposed to war in many forms. Sometimes, it feels like World War I, sometimes more contemporary wars are alluded to in this patchwork display of conflicts. The overall effect displaces the action from any one specific known war, making the story feel more universal and reflecting a more general sense of disaster.

Courtesy of Mihaela Bodlovic.

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An aspect of humanity in which we all find ourselves having to deal with at some point or other is that of loss. How each of us deals with mortality is unique to our own personal experiences. How loss is dealt with and viewed upon is also determined by one’s cultural norms and practises – Gregory Maqoma’s Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Bolero observing the role of a professional mourner – a role originating in Egypt , China, Mediterranean and Eastern cultures.

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Timeless and troubling The Permanent Way is a damning diagnosis of a flawed system that undermines the individual’s voice. David Hare’s 2003 analysis of power and aftermath considers the individual experience in a system that puts financial success above all. Striking contrasts between those who suffer and those who make the problematic vindictive rules, Hare questions the status quo and poses the argument that perhaps it is not a broken system but a fully functioning and deeply exploitative structure.

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