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!
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!
The Chicken and Chip shop has become a marker of our early 21st century high street landscape, establishments serving their local communities, they serve not only as a go to spot for an affordable meal, but also as a sanctuary – a staple for the younger generation, shaping experiences of many growing up in London. Presenting a raw and nostalgic coming of age story about growing up in South London and exploring gentrification and its impact on the lives of its youths, writer and performer Corey Bovell will debut his show Chicken Burger N Chips from the 3rd until 6th May at Brixton House as part of their Housemates Festival. Ahead of the show, Corey tells us more about exploring the show’s themes, collaborating with businesses Morley’s Chicken and Afterhours Restaurant to create the show and what it means to form part of Brixton House’s (formally known as Ovalhouse) new chapter!
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!
Safaa Benson-Effiom and Justina Kehinde, courtesy of Steve Gregson.
Love is an incredible, complex entity – one that asks for compromise, union and the respect of one another. Whether in a newly established, long term relationship or marriage, couples learn to navigate the ebbs and flows of what comes with love. The experience of loss within a relationship, one that impacts a connection greatly and something both individuals experience on an individual and partnership level. An exploration of love and loss and how both states coincide with one another, finalist of the 2020 Theatre503 International Playwriting Award and Soho Theatre’s 2019 Tony Craze Award Safaa Benson-Effiom presents Til Death Do Us Part which will play from the 3rd to 21st May at Theatre503. Ahead of the production, Safaa tells us more about exploring the themes of love and loss further, working with the creative team to realise her vision and what she’s taken away from the show’s creative process.
Performer Sarel Madziya.
The impressive skill of crafting flowers into thoughtful arrangements, floristry quietly impacts our lives, flowers integrated into various occasions and ceremonies – adding a deeper level of sentiment and meaning. Exploring this art form within her work Fringe First Award Winning Funeral Flowers, writer Emma Dennis-Edwards presents the story of 17 year old Angelique who longs to be a florist and is forced to navigate the care system when her mother is incarcerated. Initially performed in 2018 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the show has gone on to be performed at The Bunker in 2019 and The Roundhouse in 2020 to critical acclaim. Currently on a tour, the show’s last two stops will be at Exeter Phoenix on Monday 9th May and Nottingham Playhouse on Friday 13th May 2022 – with the lead role performed by Sarel Madziya. Emma tells us more about what expect from the show!
The impact of an aquired brain injury (ABI), an injury sustained via various causes including a fall, road accident, tumour or stroke can vary dependent on the patient both in the short term and long term. ‘Behavioural and emotional changes, hormonal imbalances, difficulties with cognition and memory, communication problems and fatigue (Headway Brain Injury Charity) issues that can arise as a consequence. Inspired by her own personal experience of her father dealing with a brain injury during her childhood, writer and performer Kristin Mcilquham presents Headcase, a one woman comedic monologue delving into the impact of a brain injury on families supporting their loved ones and the impact of this years post the initial diagnosis. Forming part of the Bush Theatre’s Essex:On Stage Season, Headcase will play from 11th to 16th April. Ahead of the show, Kristin tells us more about exploring this personal story further, working with the Headway Brain Injury Charity to help realise the show, supporting particularly within the research process and what audiences can expect from the show.
Two years on from the start of the pandemic and the impact of 2020 has started to emerge, the arts one of the most hardest hit as venues and institutions were forced to closed. With a lack of understanding as to when services could resume, an industry typically dependent on its live aspect, would find that adaptations would have to be made to continue to reach their audiences. A prominent adaptation that has started to emerge from the sector post pandemic is a digital strand of work, one where works are either pre-recorded and streamed or performances are live-streamed. Marking a new chapter within their over 200 year history, The Old Vic introduced the ‘OLD VIC:IN CAMERA’ initiative, allowing for over 108, 810 households in 94 countries to access live streamed performances from the comforts of their own homes, during such an unpredictable time period. Their online work as a result has seen them celebrated at both the inaugural Digital Culture Awards established by the Digital Culture Network with a win for ‘Content Creation and Distribution’ and at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards with a win for ‘Exceptional Theatre-Making During Lockdown’. Elizabeth Charlesworth, The Old Vic’s Head of Communications tells us more about what both awards mean to the team, working digitally and the venue’s hopes for the future.
Taking place from 5th to 28th August, Edinburgh International Festival marks its 75th year since its founding, returning yet again with a mixed programme of opera, classical music, dance, theatre, contemporary music, circus and digital events. A diverse theatre programme including Liz Lochhead and Michael Boyd’s (National Theatre of Scotland) Medea, Kae Tempest, Kyle Abraham’s An Untitled Love, Belvoir S.Shakthidhara and Eamon Flack’s Samsara and Odile Gakire Katese and Ross Manson’s The Book of Life amongst others, this year’s festival will also feature a season very pertinent to current circumstances titled ‘Refuge’ – a season of contemporary theatre, dance, visual art, film and conversation questioning what it means to be international in today’s world. With this year’s programme officially announced, festival director Fergus Linehan tells us more about what to expect from his last programme before musician Nicola Benedetti succeeds as director later on this year.
Post World War II Britain, migrants from the commonwealth nations were invited to live and work here in an effort to help rebuild the country in response to the consequential labour shortage, 1948 marking the beginnings of a time period whereby migrants would go on to help start shaping a multi-cultural Britain, as migrants from Jamaica embarked on an unpredictable journey on the Empire Windrush, concluding at Tilbury Dock, Essex. A new chapter for all, with the hopes of establishing better lives for themselves, as well as providing for their families, the harsh realities of having to assimilate to a social and political climate not as welcoming would become clear. Migrants from various other Caribbean nations following suit and facing the same realities. Exploring this familiar tale of migration, writer Mia Jerome presents Rice & Peas, produced by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and due to play at Metal Culture, Southend-on-Sea from the 28th to 30th April. Looking back at couple Figgy and Edith’s last meal together in Grenada, 1948 before Figgy leaves for Britain, Rice & Peas boasts a specially crafted Caribbean menu by celebrated chef Jon Bentham – the title of course alluding to the West Indian staple, the show rooting all in the couple’s cultural heritage. Ahead of the show, Mia tells us more about exploring the story further, being supported by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Creative Estuary Commissions and working with Jon Bentham to realise the menu!