Social issues have become the main focal points of discussions had within wider society, we’re now living in an era whereby certain topics can no longer be ignored. The rate of homelessness in November 2018 has risen 4% to 320,000 people in Britain, a figure that has risen by 13,000. Our awareness of mental health has deepened, with 1 in 4 people in the UK experiencing mental health problems and 1 in 6 in England experiencing a common health mental health problem such as anxiety or depression (CALM). Exploring the isolation felt from the perspectives of the materially advantaged and disadvatanged experiencing postpartum depression in the early stages of motherhood and homelessness, writer and performer Katie Guicciardi presents  ‘Fox’, questioning our complex relationship of asking for help. ‘Fox’ will be performed from late July at the Pleasance Courtyard at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

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After the success of The Cursed Child, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany team up again. for The End of History. This time, they have focused their attention on a family based in Newbury, detailing their lives through time; first in 1997, then 2007 and finally in 2017.

Courtesy of Johan Persson.

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Jack Thorne and John Tiffany are usually a dream pairing, and after having created one of the most successful cultural hits of this decade (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), the duo reunite at The Royal Court, yet this time they create a slightly lukewarm production, which doesn’t reach its full potential.

Courtesy of Johan Persson.

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The topic of mental health can perhaps feel distant to some, however it affects us all. Defined by the World Health Organisation, Mental health is  ‘as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community’. But what happens if you, or a member of your family struggles with the day to day stresses life can often throw at us? Writer and performer Isabelle Kabban explores this in her latest show, LOVE (Watching Madness). Drawing from her own personal experiences of her mother being diagnosed with Bipolar disorder, Isabelle speaks of the importance of discussing mental health, her approach towards creating the show and debuting the show at the John Thaw Mental Health Season at The Actors Centre in 2018.

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We can all agree that parenting can be tough at times, but imagine raising a son who looks so different that everyone thinks you’ve kidnapped him. BAFTA nominated writer Gabriel Bisset-Smith has based Whitewash on his own experiences as the white passing son of a mixed race woman, and the complexities of race in the gritty London of the 1990s, through to the property obsessed 2010s.

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We’re beginning to live in a time whereby the rights and experiences of women are truly being put into the foreground, and this is significant. We’ve witnessed recently, how laws passed can negatively impact on communities; the Alabama case recently in which they passed a bill banning abortion serving as a stark reminder as to how far we societally have to go in order for  women’s voices to be heard and rights prioritise. Drawing from her own personal experiences, writer and performer Claire Rammelkamp talks about her first full length show, A Womb of One’s Own. Showing at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe from late July at the Pleasance Dome, we hear more about Claire’s creative process and being supported by the Charlie Harthill Theatre Reserve Fund.

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In an ambitious new performance event from Stuart Laing and Pamela Carter, Them! explores questions of identity amidst the daunting landscape of the twenty-first century. The play comprises three stages beginning with a chat show like performance hosted by the spunky and energetic Kiruna Stammell.

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Founded in 2007 by Daniel Goldman, CASA – meaning ‘home’ in Portuguese and Spanish is one of the UK’s biggest champions of cultural exchanges between Latin American and UK based artists. An arts organisation programming predominantly theatre, their well known and respected festival has enjoyed 9 editions, with its 10th taking place this July. Taking over the helm of both the organisation and festival this year is CASA contributer Cordelia Grierson, the newly appointed Artistic Director who has helped shape CASA’s journey behind the scenes within the past 8 years. Talking ahead of this year’s festival, Cordelia tells us more about what to expect as well as the event’s newly introduced multi-disciplinary element.

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Rock of Ages comes to The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury on the first leg of its UK tour. A musical packed full of classic rock anthems, Rock of Ages is a fun, toe-tapping show full of Rock ‘n’ Roll debauchery.

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