Renowned for its platforming of unique, experimental and exciting talent, Sadler’s Wells’ Wild Card series returns with their latest instalment, produced by the visionary visual artist Livia Rita who presents FUTURA Glitch, the show an extension of Livia Rita’s soon to be released album FUGA FUTURAand a collaboration between musicians, designers, dancers, writers, thinkers, and activists. The show looking to create a mythology populating the Lilian Baylis Studio with unearthly creatures that build bridges between worlds. Ahead of the performance showing on the 12th and 13th May, Livia Rita tells us more about the show’s collaborative nature, exploring creating her own eclectic genre-defying sound within her music and what audiences can expect!

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Championing new works by British East and South East Asians (BESEA) and British Muslims, Ellandar Productions are committed to producing works seldom told on our stages, their debut work – No Particular Order an exploration of global politics and the rise of authoritarianism. Written by Papatango Prize 2019 finalist and former Associate Artist of Singapore’s renowned Checkpoint Theatre Joel Tan, the show spans 320 years, delivering snapshots of both a recognisable world and visions of the future. It charts the rise, fall and continuation of a nation, always asking the same question “Is it empathy or power that endures?” Ahead of the show’s run from 31st May to 18th June at Theatre503, Joel tells us more about exploring the show’s narrative further, founding his vital theatre company Ellandar Productions, working with the creative team to realise the show and what audiences can expect. 

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Defined as an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, the majority of domestic abuse incidents are perpetrated by a partner or ex-partner, but also by a family member or carer. Signs of domestic violence including coercive control, psychological, physical and financial abuse, harassment and stalking and online and digital abuse amongst others (Women’s Aid). An issue that sadly affects both men and women – in the vast majority of cases women, the impact of domestic abuse can often have a long lasting traumatic result, victims of abuse often afraid of disclosing what they’re going through or unsure of whom to contact. A brave exploration of this issue, writer Martha Watson Allpress presents multi-award winning, including an OnComm Commendation awarded by the Off West End Awards, Patricia Gets Ready (for a date with the man that used to hit her), a one woman show shining a delicate light on the realities of domestic abuse and those who experience it. Due to embark on a tour, starting off at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester on Tuesday 10th May, and including Brixton House from the 17th to 22nd May, before concluding at Derby Theatre on 27th May, performer Yasmin Dawes who’ll star as Patricia tells us more about what drew her to take part in the production, what she’s taken away from the creative process and what we can expect from the show.

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Courtesy of Pippa Samaya.

Cryptocurrency has ignited the imaginations of many, a form of digital currency created online with transactions stored on a blockchain (a database recording transactions made), the currency was introduced in 2009, Bitcoin the pioneering brand of coin and perhaps most well known of its kind. Years on from the currency’s creation, Non-Fungible Tokens have also gone onto encourage curiosity – a non-interchangeable unit of data stored on a blockchain and one that can be sold and traded at the owner’s discretion. Inspired by this recent development within the tech world, dance company AΦE (AE), comprising of founders Aoi Nakamura and Esteban Lecoq combine their technological and choreographic know-how to introduce the initial stage of @Lilith.Aeon – a story based NFT (Non-fungible token) comprising of seven videos exploring concepts of life, death and what lies beyond this. In order to access the project, viewers are asked to purchase $Aeon (AE Coin), AΦE’s brand of social token that can then be traded to access it. Aoi and Esteban tell us more about exploring the project’s existential themes, exploring NFTs and the metaverse and what it means to be apart of this pioneering project.

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Located in southeastern Europe and occupying the eastern part of the Balkans, Bulgaria is renowned for its picturesque natural landscapes. Said to be the oldest country in Europe, the country has retained its name since it was initially established in the 7th century. Europe’s second largest river, the Danube defines its border with Romania. Inspired by the cultural richness of their homeland to create a dance film exploring the stories of 6 protagonists across a tapestry of Bulgarian landscapes, choreographers and directors Kosta Karakashyan and Stephanie Handjiiska present Glance from the Edge. Screened at the Bulgarian Cultural Institute on Thursday 7th April, the duo tell us more about how the event went, and their plans for screening the film at a later date!

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How we process grief is unique to us individually and how families mourn together can either bring everyone closer together or drive everyone further apart from one another. The process of a funeral an incredibly emotive one, a ceremony offering that vital opportunity for all to say their final goodbyes, cultural roots governing how funeral rites are observed. An exploration of loss, family and migration, writer Beru Tessema presents House of Ife, a drama observing a family confront the unsaid and traumas that they’ve lived with after the loss of family member Ife. Due to play from the 29th April until 11th June at the Bush Theatre as part of their 50th birthday celebrations, Beru tells us more about exploring the show’s themes, working with Artistic Director Lynette Linton and what he’s learned from the show’s creative process!

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From left to right – Tomoko Komura, Meg Kubota, Yuki Sutton and You-Ri Yamanaka.

Shōwa era Japan (1926-1989) – ruled by Emperor Hir0hito witnessed the transition from empire pre-WWII to state post war, the impact of their defeat in the war one that would shape the course of future generations, migration a means for many to seek a hopeful future. In 2020, New Earth Theatre launched an oral history project that resulted in over 30 Japanese women being interviewed about their experiences of being a migrant in the UK – a perspective we seldom hear and one that is vital for addressing representation within the arts. Created in response to this project, New Earth Theatre present Tsunagu/Connect Live – an immersive, promenade work placing the voices of four Japanese women at the fore featuring performers Tomoko Komura, Meg Kubota, Yuki Sutton and You-Ri Yamanaka. Currently showing at Shoreditch Town Hall until Saturday 30th April, cast member Meg tells us more about what to expect!

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The world beyond our own has been a source of inspiration for thousands of years, Astronomy a natural science concerned with the universe beyond ourselves and the celestial realm. The invention of spaceflight in the 1960s one that has for the past 60 years helped to start bridging the gap between us and the world out there, inspiring imagination and innovation. In 2015, astronaut Tim Peake and his fellow team ventured the International Space Station (ISS) to complete a spacewalk, the mission taking a total of 185 days and witnessing Peake even running the London Marathon whilst there. Combining the images taken from some of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) locations and compositions, BAFTA and Ivor Novello Award nominated composer of TV and film Ilan Eshkeri presents Space Station Earth to play at the Royal Albert Hall on 15th May. Ahead of the performance, Ilan tells us more about what to expect!

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Returning for their latest edition, The Roundhouse’s The Last Word Festival will take over the iconic venue from the 9th to the 23rd June, some of London’s most vital voices including The Receipts Podcast, BBC Radio 1xtra’s Richard Brave, founder and authors from A Quick Ting book series hosting talks exploring some of society’s most pertinent issues. Alongside these discussions, workshops led by writer and performer Jack Rooke and the ‘Letters to the Earth’ team will inspire and support writers looking to further perfect their craft, the Roundhouse’s renowned Poetry Slam yet again searching for the next young pivotal voice to be crowned Slam champion. New works – Sankofa: Before the Whitewash by Abena Essah, Matriarch by Keziah Hodgson and Gardens + Other Such Tree Places by Ruth Awolola all due to debut at the event. Ahead of the festival, senior producer Jack Prideaux tells us more about what to expect!

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