I My Country; A Work In Progress is a collaborative piece between the current Artistic Director of the National Theatre, Rufus Norris and Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. During 80 minutes or so, real testimonials from residents across Great Britain are interwoven with speeches from party leaders prior to the referendum on the UK on leaving the European Union.
Photo courtesy of the National Theatre.
Although Taiko drumming is synonymous with Japanese culture, the musical legacy is believed to have derived from both Korean and Chinese culture. Introduced to Japan in the 6th Century, Taiko drums have taken on various roles; whether it be for communicative, theatrical, religious and military. The drum’s sound is unrivalled; a visceral, earthy instrument that is powerful and engaging enough to take centre stage. The Yamato Drummers celebrate the instrument’s earthiness in their eponymous hit show.
Courtesy of Sadler’s Wells.
David Henry Hwang’s latest drama Chinglish witnesses an American protagonist attempting to establish a business in China; however what stands in the way is a lack of knowledge of culture and the language. Lobo Chan prepares for his role as Cai Guoliang- Culture Minister of Gue Yang; responsible for granting the American protagonist the permission. A trained opera singer and actor, Chan has starred on both stage and screen-most notably starring in Peter Jackson’s epic King Kong in 2005. Chan speaks to us about his latest stage role.
The term ‘motherhood’ brings with it many connotations, however the experience is unique to the individual. Satinder Chohan explores the rarely talked about process of surrogacy, a selfless, yet emotionally draining act of kindness from one human to another in the very timely Made in India.
Sandi Toksvig returns to the Southbank Centre for the seventh year in a row to present Mirth Control. Part of the Women of the World Festival, Mirth Control is a celebration of women through music and comedy. This year, the show is entitled ‘Mirth Control Goes Nordic!’ and is a smorgasbord of all things Scandinavian.
Courtesy of the Southbank Centre.
This is the first major theatre production about Brexit after the EU referendum past June. Enlisting the help of regional arts organisation, the National Theatre interviewed British citizens ranging in age from 9 to 97 around the UK, resulting in hundreds of hours of material. Rufus Norris and Carol Ann Duffy transcribed the interviews and turned them into an 80-minute play which presents an intriguing chronology of the general mood in the country before and shortly after Brexit.
Courtesy of Sarah Lee.
The Bush Theatre started life as a library in 1895; 122 years later, the building has just completed a multi-million pound renovation, including wheel chair accessibility and an additional space. The Bush Theatre is known for championing new writing from a range of fresh talent and will shortly re-open with a politically and culturally responsive programme. To kick off the season, the theatre will introduce Black Lives, Black Words; a series of shorts questioning whether ‘black lives matter today?’
Debbie Tucker Green‘s latest play, which she also directs, is about love – a word that has long been trivialised and commercialised but is seldom used when most needed. Tucker Green examines the nature of love focusing on three relationships in three connected dialogues.
Courtesy of Stephen Cummiskey.
‘A rose, by any other name would still be as sweet’… Director Amy Leach’s modern retelling of this timeless love story may have kept the name, but this dazzling reinterpretation challenges everything we think we know about Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, casting off the shackles of tradition and throwing its audience head first into an intense, passionate and touching tale of turmoil and true love.
Courtesy of West Yorkshire Playhouse.