Despite an outstanding musical performance, Carmen lacks a decisive believability that would have brought this intriguing concept to life, the orchestra however excels.

Courtesy of Richard Hubert Smith.

Escapism in some form or other balances out our predictable routines – whether that be via art, spirituality, vice, technology, a getaway – the need for a break from the everyday crucial for us all to function. Cue Electrick Village‘s brief VR installation piece RawTransport™, a quietly ambitious exploration of escapism and how this in itself further deepens our own sense of self. Made possible by the accessibility of a headset and headphones, how we potentially holiday or ‘escape’ in the future could shift dramatically and not involve the chaos of packing and check ins.

Courtesy of Hannah Pye

There is a delicate intimacy which explores time, storytelling and what makes something feel like home to Autoreverse. All the while Florencia Cordeu makes us feel at home in her curation of memory and how we relate to past versions of ourselves.

Courtesy of Helen Murray

Temi Wilkey’s debut play is a tour de force, and cements itself in history as a keystone piece in the Black queer canon. It is truly sensational, and the entire evening’s performance is a treat from start to finish. Get yourself down to Bush Theatre to see this impressive work.

Courtesy of Helen Murray.

Every culture has their staple when it comes to cuisine, the West African staple being Jollof rice. Described as a ‘reddish one-pot dish’, at first glance it may appear to be a simple dish to cook, however its foundations tell a different story, as a beautiful amalgamation of tomatoes, peppers, stock and various spices work together to make the dish a well deserved staple!

First staged in 2017, this Rupert Goold directed production of Mike Bartlett’s Albion returns to the Almeida two-and-a-half years after its first outing, retaining most of its original cast, and a heightened significance in light of recent national developments.

A somewhat sharp, almost timely reinterpretation of the Ibsen classic, subtly and nuance lack an authenticity and believability that let this show down. Stef Smith’s dialogue shows real potential and has its moments, but never follows on this, thus preventing you from fully diving in.

Courtesy of Marc Brenner.

With a mission to place more work by East Asian artists on our stages, Chinese Arts Now Festival returns with a line up of digital, dance, theatre, music, comedy and so much more. Debuting last year, CAN 2020 offers a ‘bigger, bolder, and braver celebration of work’ – Nigel Ng’s stand up comedy show Culture Shocked a brilliant addition to this year’s event.

A cutting shrine to an England that never existed, Death of England, examines tormented, terrified masculinity in the wake of a father’s death. Clint Dyer and Roy Williams (Co-Writers) do an excellent job in using this timely confession to muddy the waters of an increasingly polarised world.

Courtesy of Helen Murray.

Within the arts, as well as on a larger scale, we’re beginning to witness conversations on representation and race take centre stage – addressing the fact that for far too long, many stories reflective of our day to day lives have been marginalised and even prevented from making it onto our main stages. An advocate of East Asian stories taking centre stage, playwright Daniel York Loh presents Invisible Harmony, a part spoken word/part dance piece/part film dismantling the many myths we’ve built up here in the West about the East  brining untold stories to the fore.