LONDON, 13 July 2023. LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art) and Audible UK are today delighted to announce the release of the fourth series of GNR8, a collection of four original audio dramas that speak to the complex times we live in. Commissioned from some of the UK’s most exciting emerging writers and workshopped by LAMDA students, the final productions were recorded by 2022 LAMDA graduating students as part of the two organisations’ ongoing partnership.
Exploring timely themes of female rage, peer pressures, living up to expectations, the dangers of university rituals and traditions, celebrity, cancel culture and deception, the thought-provoking single dramas have been created by and for young people. Award-winning playwright Karla Williams and director Izzy Rabey reflect on the impact of social media and the threat of cancel culture in Famous, as a global superstar fights against a life without fame. Two student journalists try to uncover the truth about a tragic accident at a university rugby team initiation inThara Popoola’s pacy and gripping Initiation directed by Dermot Daly. What is the price you’d pay to create your own legacy? Gilbert Kyem Jnr’s Son Of explores what it takes to step out of the shadow of your family, directed by Claudia Grant. In Amy Cudden’s Bad Seed – directed by Philip Morris – two postgraduate students working on their feminist podcast Bloody Women find themselves drawn into the thirty-year-old mystery of a supposed misogynistic hate crime.
Since 2018, LAMDA and Audible have worked together on the GNR8 project to create sixteen new Audio dramas that showcase the work of exciting new writing and directing talent, and the next wave of audio stars. The writers in the 2021/22 GNR8 project are also involved in projects including Robert Icke’s Hamlet and Oresteia (Off Broadway), The Midwich Cuckoos (Sky), Sex Education (Netflix), Rise (BBC Radio 4), Grantchester (ITV/PBS) and Clutch (Bush Theatre).
Karla Williams, GNR8 Season 4 participant and writer of ‘Famous’, said: “Working with LAMDA and Audible was my first experience writing for audio, and I absolutely loved it! Writing Famous gave me the opportunity to explore themes close to my heart; cancel culture, the performative nature of allyship, and the experiences of black actresses working in film and TV.
Working on the project became the genesis of an audio career. I have gone on to co-write an audio series produced by Hat Trick Podcast, executive produced a comedy/drama series produced by Listen Audio, and I have an original audio drama series in development.”
Aurelie de Troyer, Head of Content UK & Canada at Audible said: “Working with LAMDA on GNR8 has been a fantastic way to celebrate some of the UK’s finest writing, directing and acting talent. Audible is passionate about championing the next generation of voices and we continue to be thrilled with the results.”
Mark O’Thomas, Principal of LAMDA said: “Our collaboration with Audible has become an integral part of our training, providing students with the opportunity to learn from one of the world’s leading audio producers. It’s testament to the partnership that we have seen so many recent graduates go on to enjoy careers in audio and create their own audio plays.”
GNR8 Series 4 is available to download exclusively here now (free for Audible members, free with Audible’s 30-day trial).
In our technological age, web 1, 2 and 3 (metaverses) dominate, our lives now lived online in parallel to our material realities. Making its debut in the UK, after a sold out run out in San Francisco, Fray – is a tale of two brothers, Tulio and Ziya as they navigate competing passions of Hip Hop dancing and for the shared world of adventure they discover inside of video games. Their bond frays over time and the older brother is lured away by dark forces. Set to take Wilton’s Town Hall by storm for 3 nights only, Candybomber Productions fuse dance, music, and digital visuals to engage us with this story. Choreographed by Sisco Martinez, who notably rose to prominence dancing for the likes of Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Paula Abdul and Kylie Minogue amongst others, we learn more about his vision for the show and what we can expect!
The iconic Edinburgh Festival Fringe will be back once again in August, and TikTok is proud to return as the Official Virtual Stage for 2023. For the second year running, we’ll be working with this one-of-a-kind celebration of performing arts, helping to bring its artists and shows to even bigger audiences than ever before through TikTok.
ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, NY —The Fisher Center at Bard (Gideon Lester, Artistic Director and Chief Executive; Aaron Mattocks, Chief Operating Officer) today announces that, in partnership with the OSUN Center for Human Rights and the Arts at Bard (CHRA), it has received a $2,000,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to support the work and livelihood of Tania El Khoury, a commissioned artist and guest co-curator at the Fisher Center, Founding Director of CHRA, and a Distinguished Artist in Residence at Bard’s Theater & Performance Program. El Khoury’s live art engages the audience in close encounters with narratives drawn from the political realities of borders, displacement, and state violence. The grant will support her live art production and touring, her scholarly and artistic research, and her curatorial work at the Fisher Center and CHRA.
With no prior motorsport experience, now celebrated racing driver Jann Mardenborough received a once in a life time opportunity to hone in on his Gran Turismo no-how and gain the skills needed to pursue a successful racing career. Scoring a place on the coveted GT Academy/Nissan PlayStation GT Academy in 2011, and beating 90,000 other entrants to go on to win the competition, the tv show propelled Mardenborough into a fast paced world, resulting in him participating in the Dubai 24 Hour Race courtesy of Nissan. Since then, going from strength to strength having competed in various competitions since 2012 including British GT Championship, Blancpain Endurance Series, Toyota Racing Series, FIA European Formula Three Championship, 2014 GP3 Series, Super Formula Series and Super GT – where he scored a podium position in 2017. Dramatising the racing star’s inspirational story, Sony Pictures present summer blockbuster Gran Turismo this August at participating cinemas. Starring as one of the film’s mechanics, and with a cast including Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet and David Harbour – ex-Hollyoaks star Richard Cambridge tells us more about his role as Felix, learning the skills needed to play a convincing mechanic and the arts led businesses he co-owns!