Community binds our societies together, the power of the collective undeniable and crucial to humanity’s survival. African, Caribbean and Southern America communities tied together by their ancestral home and cultural roots. The impetus for dance work Grin, choreographer Mele Broomes and dancers and collaborators Kemono L.Riot and Divine Amy Tasinda is born out of the themes of community-building, refusals, friendships, support and networks of care, the title inspired by 1987 poem The Mask by the late Maya Angelou – an urgent cue towards understandings of humanity and the strategies of survival which underpin different modes of being.

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When you step out of a relationship, do you really begin to grasp the emotional, psychological, spiritual and physical impacts of what you’ve experienced within that period of time, survivors of domestic abuse encountering realisations that occur over time, trauma a devastating result of the toxic bond shared and often difficult to address. Exploring this within her award winning work Patricia Gets Ready (for a date with the man that used to hit her), Martha Watson Allpress crafts an honest, open account of a woman rebuilding her life and self esteem post break-up and after a chance encounter with an ex abusive partner.

Courtesy of Korey J Ryan

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Inspired by American journalist turned playwright Maurine Dallas Watkins’ 1926 play Chicago, drawn from her time covering Courthouse Place for the Chicago Tribune, renowned performer and choreographer Bob Fosse would go onto adapt the production into what we now know as a sultry, jazz-centric take on the media circus and the fickle, fleeting nature of fame – the tale of Roxie Hart, a bright-eyed aspiring star willing to do whatever it takes to make it big time versus Velma Kelly – a well seasoned veteran on the verge of disappearing from the limelight thrown together as a result of their crimes, the multi-award winning musical returning to the New Wimbledon Theatre to reprise the musical’s 40+ year legacy.

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The Wild Card programme is an initiative by Sadler’s Wells which invites a new generation of artists to curate their own night. Livia Rita, singer, designer and artist, presents her Wild Card, FUTURA Glitch. Described as a cross-pollination of musicians, designers, dancers, writers, thinkers and activists, I was sold by the futuristic and post gendered description of a radical performance art event. For the sheer imagination and ambition of the piece I would recommend.

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How grief manifests itself takes on many forms, within this, feelings of anger, pain, regret, sadness, fear amongst other feelings emerging at various stages within one’s grieving process, how we grieve on an individual level, as well as with our loved one or close friend, and communal level, dynamics that differ and form part of our societal fabric. An exploration of loss and the impact of this within a 15 year marriage, Safaa Benson-Effiom presents the pertinent Til Death Do Us Part, a lesson in the importance of vulnerability and the addressing of the often unsaid.

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With love, it’s a case of either following your head or your heart, how we navigate this beautiful, multi-faceted quality of life unique to us all. Having debuted in 1943 on Broadway, and marking Rogers and Hammerstein’s first musical partnership, Oklahoma! follows lead Laurey Williams’ pursuit to find the one, as she finds herself consumed with the prospect of either settling with cowboy Curly McClain or farmhand Jud Fry, the production showcasing the fallouts and heartbreaks of decisions made, highlighting love’s often chaotic grace.

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The Society for Theatre Research is delighted to reveal the shortlist for the Theatre Book Prize 2022. Judged by director Jatinder Verma, National Theatre archivist Erin Lee and theatre critic Paul Vale on a panel chaired by STR Committee Member Howard Loxton, the shortlist includes six titles ranging from the history of Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre to the candid account of the early career of actress Eileen Atkins.

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Mental Health Week falls between the 9th to the 15th May, within this time, the aim to break the stigma shrouding the topic of mental health and illness. With mental health issues impacting 1/4 of the UK population and common mental health issues such as anxiety and depression impacting 1/6 of the population (Mind UK), it’s clear just how vital addressing and implementing solutions to these issues are. An exploration of mental health within a sporting arena, in particular anxiety and depression, Lewis Aaron Woods presents Bones, a tale of camaraderie, the impact of mental health on both the individual as well as the community and the power of sport.

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Based in post WWII Germany, Das Brot is a stark commentary on the scarcity of food experienced during this time of upheaval, the piece driven by experiences of dictatorship and contributing heavily to the Trümmerliteratur movement. Inspired by the influential work, writer and performer Alan Booty presents The Loaf of Bread, an intimate observation of a working class couple trying to get by and understand one another.

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A soulful exploration of grief and sibling love, The House of Ife by Beru Tessema tells the story of the aftermath of the death of the eldest son Ife. Set in North London this Ethiopian-British family drama is a visual feast, beautifully performed with writing that sparkles with poetry and wit. I’d urge you to hurry and book tickets following sold-out success of Red Pitch and the short run.

Courtesy of Marc Brenner.

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