The continuing success of right-wing populist parties and Trump’s presidency are worrying at best. Many people feel powerless, hoping that this situation will soon pass. Lion Feuchtwanger contemplated very similar problems in his trilogy Wartesaal (Waiting Room), which he wrote between 1930 and 1939. Feuchtwanger ‘s observations of national socialism in the 1930s were almost visionary and already entailed a theory of swarm intelligence, decades before this phenomenon was actually described.

Courtesy of Arno Declair.

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Courtesy of The Vaults Festival.

It’s the start of 2018 and with it brings an exciting array of theatrical events. An exciting London staple, the 6th annual VAULT Festival has garnered a well respected reputation for showcasing a varied programme of fresh theatre voices. Returning from Wednesday 24th until Sunday 18th March 2018, this year’s programme promises to be the most exciting yet.

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A household name on the BBC’s much loved entertainment show ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, Oti Mabuse has dazzled viewers with her ability to craft memorable showstopping routines as well as showcase her technical prowess during professional dance numbers. Strictly has once again finished for the year however fans of the show can watch Oti and fellow Strictly alumni Ian Waite embark on a tour with their debut show Rhythm of the Night. Find out what inspired Oti to become a dancer, how both Oti and Ian approached choreographing the show and what you can expect!

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Almost 100 years ago, on 29th September, 1922, the Münchner Kammerspiele presented the world premiere of Trommeln in der Nacht (Drums in the Night) – the first play by Bertolt Brecht that was ever put on stage. Little has remained of that remarkable evening except for a few photographs and director Christopher Rüping keeps wondering what the world premiere might have looked like. Determined to use theatre as a time machine, he decides to try and recapture the spirit of the original without turning his production into a museum piece. He starts off by copying the style of almost 100 years ago, reviving the cast of a bygone era, thereby reinventing the world premiere.

Courtesy of Julian Bauman.

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A lifeless block of wood turns into a living being – A talking cricket acts as a conscious – A wishing star doubles as a beautiful fairy – And a monstrous whale swallows half of the company. This could only be a Disney story. But it’s not your traditional fairy tale that often occupies the family-centred company’s creations. There’s no princess that needs saving from a fire breathing monster; no, this story is instead based on a puppet who longs to be a real boy – whose nose grows longer each time a new lie is told.

Courtesy of Manuel Harlan

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The Christmas panto maestro is back with another slapstick comedy that is sure to brussel your sprouts and leave you feeling thoroughly festive this season. Berwick Kaler and his trusty cast never fail to entertain both babies and bairns with his absurd fashion sense and outright lunacy, but that is surely what has made him a Yorkshire icon for so many over the years.

Courtesy of York Theatre Royal.

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“I don’t believe the word love has ever meant the same thing twice.” The stars shine bright and so do our desires. Navigating a 17th-century opera house, 1936 Worcester, San Fernando Valley, 1979 and the Moon 2223, Forward Arena present their examination of queer history in Callisto: A Queer Epic. After a critically acclaimed, sold out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, the production lands at the Arcola for a second time.

Courtesy of Forward Arena.

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Iqbal Khan mightily takes the reigns of Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra at the Barbican as part of the RSC’s transfer of their Rome season. An explosion of colour and ceremony is aided by Robert Innes Hopkins’s brilliant stage design, allowing the drama of the piece to stir with its uncompromising power dynamics. This tragedy of affairs, corruption, revolt and war translates with ease, Khan and the cast have done well to make the Bard’s work feel approachable yet hold its dynamism.

Courtesy of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

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Amidst the gloom of the slave trade in the latter part of 19th century America, a musical revolution within the Deep South would grip the minds and souls of its population. A melting pot of French, Spanish, Haitian, Cuban and West African culture; New Orleans would give birth to an exciting movement incorporating improvisation and individuality. Jazz music has inspired generations; Louis Armstrong, Miles Davies, Billie Holliday and Ella Fitzgerald amongst others shaping the genre. Clarke Peters’ Five Guys Named Moe celebrates New Orleans Vivacity. Louis Jordan’s music and lyrics, is a nod to a genre that would unite a people rather than divide.

Courtesy of Five Guys Named Moe.

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The annual (but far from traditional) Leeds pantomime is back with a bang this year, as we’re transported to the magical realm of the giants in Paul Holman Associates’ production of Jack and the Beanstalk. Filled with classic panto tomfoolery and shenanigans (and plenty of jokes for the adults, too!) it’s one not to be missed this festive season.

Courtesy of Paul Holman Associates.

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