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.
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!
Many of us can get ourselves trapped into self destructive psychological patterns as a result of traumas that have been left unresolved, learning to live with said patterns without the know how of how to stop the destructive cycle or finding the spiritual realm one that serves as a comfort and integral support system. Exploring the psychological and the spiritual in his work Saturn Returns showing from Thursday 21st until Sunday 24th April at Brixton House as part of The Housemates Festival, writer Sonny Nwachukwu tells us more about his choreopoem inspired by Igbo mythology, the show’s creative process and what we can expect!