An idea had before last year’s lockdown and born out of her role as OffWestEnd Award Assessor, Caroline Friedman has recognised a need for an online theatrical platform showcasing the work staged at Off West End, Off Broadway and Fringe theatre venues. A platform committed to making the arts more accessible to audiences, the resource has partnered up with the Black film and Theatre Directory and Stagetext to ensure that this becomes a reality, the site also free for viewers to subscribe to and access, as well as being a crucial lifeline for artists to showcase their own work and generate an income. The site also hosts the Theatre Club, a great way to ensure international connection with their New York contingent, the OffWestEnd/OnComm Awards who are vital to highlighting the great work staged within the fringe theatre scene, amongst various theatre festivals and self produced work. Caroline tells us more about the ambitious resource!
Recognising the need for single mothers to have that much needed mental, emotional and spiritual support, the Only Giving Back Unconditionally Colllective, fronted by Chimna Orji have returned with their second project, Haven Nurture, a relaxing escape for young single mothers. Taking place at the Battersea Arts Centre, the therapeutic event will continue on with OGBU’s mission of supporting their local community, having previously created care packages for NHS workers during the pandemic last year. Ahead of the retreat this year, Chimna tells us more about this very thoughtful initiative!
A condition concerning the function of the ovaries, Premature Ovaries Insufficiency (POI) relates to the reduction of eggs produced and an inconsistency in Oestrogen and Progesterone levels – hormones that have an overall impact on women’s health and well-being. Also referred to as the ‘Early Menopause’, POI differs from this due to the age in which it happens, POI a term used to refer to anyone experiencing it under the age of 40. Exploring this little known or talked about condition in the theatre company’s latest show Flushed, writer and co-founder of Theatre Unlocked Catherine Cranfield talks about taking part in Park Theatre’s ‘Say it, Women’ double bill and creating work in collaboration with POI charity The Daisy Network, of which she is an ambassador of.
Founder of Cut the Cord, a company committed to establishing an enriching theatrical partnership between the Nordic and UK theatre scene, Camilla Gürtler continues on with this mission with the latest edition of the New Nordics Festival, a five day celebration of live and digital contemporary works from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Set to take place at Jacksons Lane Theatre from the 12th to the 16th October, Camilla tells us more about creating this important platform for creatives, her hopes for the festival and what to expect from the event!
Currently debuting her latest show curious, a show exploring the lives of two young, Black, queer actresses trying to find out who they are, award winning writer Jasmine Lee-Jones returns, this time, to the Soho Theatre until 16th October. Establishing the show’s visual aesthetic, co-set and costume designers Camilla Clarke and Rosie Elnile tell us more about working with the show’s themes to realise the visual language, challenges faced in doing so and what they’ve taken away from working on the show!
Having identified a need for a theatre venue supporting new writing and working class artists, Olivier award-winning theatre producer Jamie Eastlake and filmmaker Stephen Robertson have established Laurels Theatre, located above Laurels Whitley Bay tapas bar based in Tyne and Wear. Currently into their first ever season of work, co-founder Jamie tells us more about what it means to be able to provide this integral platform for creatives and what his hopes are for the venue. 
Founded in 1997 by British Nigerian actor Femi Elifowuju Jr, tiata fahodzi, meaning ‘theatre of the emancipated’, has been a leading force in regards to producing works placing the British African experience centre stage. Nearly 25 years on, their initiatives expanding on this crucial mission. Previous Artistic Director alumni including critically acclaimed actor Lucian Msamati, and current Artistic Director and CEO of the Northern Stage Theatre Natalie Ibu. Leading tiata fahodzi into their next chapter, critically acclaimed theatre and screenwriter Chinonyerem Odimba has recently announced a new Executive Director and Board of Trustees. Chinonyerem Tells us more about the appointment and what her hopes are for the theatre company moving forward.