A lot of the time, we don’t even realise the psychological or emotional turmoil that we’re in – often hiding behind distractions to fight away the pain. The bonds we form around us a vital factor in possibly exploring this further and healing. Delving into this further with production I Was Kinda the Bad Guy, Jaz Johnson delivers a brooding drama very honestly exploring the impact of intervention and receiving a mental health diagnosis both on the individual and those around them. The topic of mental health the sole purpose of the piece which, perfectly pitched to a Gen Z demographic.

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Policarpa Salavarrieta or La Pola (1795 -1817) was a Colombian seamstress who was ultimately assassinated in 1817 by Spanish Royalists. An integral figure within the struggle for independence from the Spanish, her political ambition would see her spy for the Revolutionary Forces and play her part in securing Colombia’s future. Her fiery legacy living on centuries later through ‘The Day of the Colombian Woman’. Inspired by her unwavering bravery and loyalty, writer and performer Giullianna Martínez presents HóPe, a one woman show also inspired by Martínez’s mother’s battle with Multiple Myeloma.

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Psychologist Harry Harlow (1905-1981) in the late 50s went onto make a landmark discovery within the field of psychology – concluding that ‘comfort’ was an integral force in the formation of attachment within mothers and their children, as opposed to food which would have been the general consensus beforehand. With human connection a vital component helping us to foster relationships and process the world around us, to possibly lose this will be a devastating prospect. Tapping into this fastly emerging world of robots, AI and isolation, Polymorth Theatre and Different Theatre present Chemistry, an urgent look at our current climate, one where we see ourselves on the cusp of a digitally overrun world.

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On Sunday 28th May 2023, the results of the Turkish general elections were revealed. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, leader of right wing party ‘Justice and Development’ securing his position as Turkey’s 12th president which he has held for 20 years now. His opponent Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the centre left ‘Republican People’s Party’ seen as a genuine rival but losing out to Erdogan’s 52.1% victory. A commentary on the many years of political unrest leading up to this year’s final result, Turkish native Betal presents Goodbye Erdogan – political theatre at its purest.

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Cues both overt and covert dictate how women should behave, perceptions of the ‘model woman’ deeply rooted in a patriarchal gaze and drummed into our consciousness throughout our lifetime. In a time where we’re breaking down issues of gender, sexuality and mental health amongst other human qualities, we’re asked to question the systems and structures that once were and navigate a new, fairer world. An exploration of femininity and what this means to the OnTheNose cast, 60 Minutes of Mood Swings unashamedly shatter the patriarchal lense in which we’ve observed the world for millennia and usher in something excitingly new

Located on an unforgiving patriarchal-centric boot camp, OnTheNose await the harsh instructions of an overseeing eye. The bootcamp’s aim to transform these five – already powerful in their own right – women into the so called societal ideal. Taking on the ‘ugly duckling trope’ we often see play out in various arenas, where we’re invited to watch an individual’s process of transformation into a ‘better’ version of themselves, the show lightheartedly pokes fun at this, and with it cleverly starts to pick at the hidden truths as to why the quintet hold the insecurities that they do.

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A mental health condition that has an affect on one’s mood, Bipolar Disorder, when broken down translates as ‘Bi’ = two and ‘polar’ = completely opposite  – usually misunderstood, the condition alludes to the states of mania and depression that an individual shifts between (Mind). With 1 in 100 people receiving a diagnosis and it often developing from the ages of 15yrs to 19yrs old (NHS). Delving into a man’s processing of his diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, Beardance Theatre present Brighter, an attempt to demistify and humanise the condition.

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Although an exciting, otherworldly industry to be a part of – one responsible for igniting the imaginations of many, the world of acting can often be a precarious one, one where you’re left eagerly awaiting opportunities that could lead to that career defining role or two. Juggling a 9 to 5 with castings a reality for many passionate about performance, hopeful that their dreams will become realities. Returning to the Bush Theatre after a critically acclaimed run in 2021, writer and performer Nikhil Parmar presents Invisible – a one man show looking at the moments behind the scenes, in between the acting roles, laying bare the emotional turmoil that lies behind what we see on our screens and stages.

Courtesy of Henri T.

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We’re capable of incredible things, able to push the limits on what we originally thought possible and push humanity forward. We’ve forever had a fascination with the idea of flight and being able to subvert gravity and suspend over our concrete world. Driven by this fascination with the world up above, dancer and choreographer Rachid Ouramdane explores what it is to dare, to go above and beyond and experience the thrill that this anticipates in Corps extrêmes.

Courtesy of Pascale Cholette

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The attitudes that we pick up and learn stem from our childhoods, our families the first port of call when it comes to this – our school experiences ones that further set in stone how we process the world around us. A celebration of uniqueness and camaraderie, writer Onjali Q. Rauf crafts The Hero Next Door, a tale of a three school peers – Musa, a young refugee, Haley, a girl with ASD and Melody, a school bully who are forced together by a revelation that poses dire consequences if not stopped in its tracks!

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On paper, a promising night out at the Barbican, one of my favourite East London venues whose concrete wings stretch out into the City of London. The Meaning of Zong promises to tell an incredible tale based on a significant and buried piece of British history. Weeks before the King’s coronation there was an opportunity here to do something bold and spectacular, but it fell short in terms of ambition, execution, and critical commentary.

Courtesy of Jemima Yong.

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