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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We live in a world whereby we’re defined by multiple markers, labels placed upon us from a young age as to what we are or how we should be. Our identities our most prized possession, and one noted by the various documents we hold to determine who we are.  An exploration of the gender transitioning process from female to male, and the searching for identity within doing so, performer Tatenda Shamiso honestly shares their first hand experience of becoming their true selves in production NO ID.

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Our hometowns are where we form our first formative relationships, meaningful connections that teach us how to bond with others – and have that potential to either last a lifetime or slowly wither away. Cocooned in our surrounding microcosm, we get used to the familiar, change perhaps a scary thing for some, for others – their hearts calling to make a move and pursue the next part of their life journey. An exploration of childhood friendship, relationships, love, loss, class, mental health and addiction, Jack Condon‘s If. Destroyed. Still. True is an honest look at the conversations that shape us. The play examining the impact of suicidal states of mind and grief, creating a safe space to explore these existential realities and a vital piece of theatre for the moment.

Courtesy of Alex Brenner.

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A dish consisting of rice, coconut milk and kidney beans, amongst other seasonings, rice and peas forms the base of many Caribbean meals, a hearty, starchy meal option that has been enjoyed throughout the centuries. As we know, food brings communities together, an incredibly important part of culture that nourishes and preserves cultural history. An exploration of the stories meals can tell, Mia Jerome presents dining experience Rice & Peas, a thoughtful, immersive exploration of cultural heritage, migration, race, family and mental health.

Courtesy of Lucy Basaba.

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Fought between 1853-1856 between Russia – France, the Ottoman Empire and the United Kingdom, the Crimean War witnessed nations battle on matters of religious ideologies, the decline of the Ottoman Empire and expansion of the Russian empire some of the following impacts of the war. Thousands of soldiers risked their lives, the presence of medics vital in the rehabilitation process of many. Celebrated for her contribution to nursing, especially during this historical event with the setting up of the ‘British Hotel’, British Jamaican nurse/doctress Mary Seacole is renowned for her instictive and herbal remedy medical knowledge – something that marked her, alongside contemporary Florence Nightingale as a pioneer of her field. Delving into Mary’s incredible story further, Marys Seacole, created by Jackie Sibbles Drury spans 19th century Crimea to 21st century America and the UK to examine innovations made within medicine.

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Those initial moments where an individual catches the eye of another individual they possibly envision themselves establishing a connection with are magical, said initial interactions gradually turning into an exciting unspoken conversation between two souls who connect on an energetic level, their chemistry now undeniable and increasingly difficult to ignore. An exploration of two people brought together by proximity, Edith Pearlman‘s  Tenderfoot observes the invisible, the subtle moments and actions that work together to form an undeniable bond.

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The Anglo-Japanese alliance signed in January of 1902 by British Foreign Secretary Lord Lansdowne and Japanese diplomat Hayashi Tadasu witnessed a period of diplomacy in the early 20th century between the two nations before its termination in 1923. Three years later and Japan transitioned into the Shōwa era, a period overseen by Emperor Hirotito and one that would endure the impact of defeat post WWII, shaping the course of future generations and as a result of this, migration being a means for many to seek a hopeful future elsewhere. Exploring the stories of Japanese migrants living in the UK post WWII, New Earth Theatre present Tsunagu/Connect Live – an immersive promenade production comprised of verbatim recordings of participants who took part in an oral history project led by the theatre company in 2020.

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Two years post pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, the importance of reconnecting to one’s roots has been an important stride within a very transformational time period, generational trauma a state explored more openly now. An exploration of an Igbo couple captured from Nigeria, West Africa during the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Sonny Nwachukwu‘s show Saturn Returns draws on the historical event of The Igbo Landing, a mass suicide by the captive Igbo people in 1803 onboard a slave ship in refusal of slavery.

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