Dean John-Wilson, Kelly Price and Ray Shell join Henshall for new Sondheim Production. Ruthie Henshall will lead a recently announced cast of West End regulars in a new production of Stephen Sondheim’s Passion this May.
The premiere of Dipo Baruwa-Etti’s An Unfinished Man at The Yard Theatre is an exciting one because it brings to the surface the complex interplay of culture and mental health which many children of migrants (including myself) will find validating.
Courtesy of Camilla Greenwell.
New play by Hannah Kennedy makes their stunning debut at the charming Barons Court Theatre this week with excellent performances across the board. It is astonishing that an emerging writer is able to confidently deliver an instant classic tackling universal themes of love and partnership in a contemporary context whilst staying honest, thoughtful and heartfelt. An urgent must see and talent to watch.
Originating from the Akan Tribe in Ghana, the term Sankofa translates as “To go back and get it”, a reminder of how important it is to look back at the past and revisit our roots in order to move forward. The word such a powerful sentiment it has with it its very own symbol, characterised by a striking heart shaped logo. Delving into her recent, as well as not so recent past and heritage, British Ghanaian theatre maker Nicole Acquah presents a semi-autobiographical piece tying folklore with the modern day.
You match on a dating app because the technology does not recognise borders and for some precious weeks Boaz and George try not to either. What’s a measly fence with a hole in it compared to the strength of their connection? What’s 20km?
We’re living in a day whereby the taboo of mental health is gradually being challenged, well-being something we recognise as crucial moving forward. An exploration of Black mental health, supplied with the recommendation of helpful resources made possible by charity Black Minds Matter, Running with Lions pushes the topic of mental health centre stage, showcasing the impact of a family member’s diagnosis of Bipolar within a British Jamaican household.
New musical Broken Wings inverts the classic immigrant story by centring the return to the mother country. It’s a sequel to the American Dream where the protagonist, Khalil Gibran returns home filled with nostalgia of a past life, but soon encounters the conflict in his blended middle eastern and western values.
Love connects us all, a powerful emotion that many have captured throughout the ages through various art forms, it powers and inspires humanity. Without it, the world would be a duller place. Marking Valentine’s Day this year with the 2nd edition of their comedy showcase, BBC’s Ashley J and DJ B-Radz present Lovers & Friends, a thought provoking, light hearted, sentimental evening celebrating love in its multiple guises.
‘The decision is made at a higher management level’: archived voice recording of an agent from the Family and Community Service (FACS) in New South Wales, Australia, as they ‘remove’ a child from its mother. These, the chilling opening moments of Larissa Behrendt’s 2017 documentary After the Apology, are a fitting portent of the film to come. In a series which Barbican curator Alex Davidson describes as highlighting ‘the best, most important, most interesting and often the hardest to see’ films from indigenous Australians, After the Apology surely ranks as one of the most harrowingly painful documentaries ever made. Statistics blaze across the screen in black and white for this rare big-screen showing, giving voice to victims and the systematic trauma they have been subjected to.
The documentary film Firestarter: The Story of Bangarra is a part of the exciting Homeland programme at the Barbican this February which seeks to celebrate great Indigenous Australian filmmakers from the last three decades. This film tells the story of the Bangarra Dance Theatre Company tied up with the lives of the Page brothers, Russell, dancer and choreographer, David, composer and musical director, and Stephen, the visionary. From its inception in 1989 to the present day with Frances Rings, this film is first and foremost a celebration of the company’s extraordinary ability to spark a light with dance, music, family, culture, remembrance, and laughter when all else feels lost.
