It’s back and better than ever: VAULT Festival, the UK’s leading independent festival of live performance, makes its joyful return in 2023. Running from 24th January – 19th March 2023 in venues across Waterloo, the programme features over 500 of the best theatre, comedy, cabaret and late-night shows from some of the brightest talents across the live performance industry.
38 shows have been announced as part of the inaugural A Pinch of VAULT, a new festival of live work-in-progress shows presented by VAULT Creative Arts. Taking place at VAULT Creative Arts’ brand new café, bar & creative space, The Glitch, and popular pub, Vaulty Towers, both in Waterloo, from Tuesday 5th July – Saturday 16th July 2022, A Pinch of VAULT will feature exciting and original shows from leading independent artists, across theatre and comedy.
VAULT Festival, the UK’s leading independent showcase of live performance, has announced that applications are now open for artists to apply to perform at the next edition of VAULT Festival, returning to London from Tuesday 31st January 2023.
The notion of ‘darkness’ differs culturally, the westernised view one of evil, fear and the unknown. A facet that we tend to brush aside and reserve for particular parts of the year, this seldom is focused on. Delving into her own ancestry and exploring the potent impact of generational trauma as well as the power of the spiritual realm, writer and performer Julene Robinson delivers a resonant hour of theatre, theatre as a form of healing.
A tale inspired by her very own grandmother’s story of being ostracised for her African spiritual retentions, award winning performer Julene Robinson presents The Night Woman, a culmination of folklore, poetry and songs drawing from her native Caribbean heritage. Initially due to play at this year’s VAULT Festival, which was sadly cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic, the production receives its much deserved debut at The Other Palace Theatre from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th 2022 as part of their VAULT Fest 2022 transfer season. Ahead of the production, Julene tells us more about the show’s two year development journey, exploring her grandmother’s legacy and what to expect!
After a dynamic programme of free rehearsal space, networking opportunities, workshops and panels, VAULT Creative Studios has come to an end – having supported 500+ artists and freelancers across its four week run. Set up by VAULT Creative Arts as an immediate and dynamic response to the cancellation of VAULT Festival 2022, this brand new programme of events provided support, resources and creative opportunities to those most affected by the loss of the live eight week festival programme.
Family for all of us takes on a very personal meaning, our view of the family construct differing from the next person. Drawing on her views of sisterhood, arguably one of the strongest familial bonds, writer Esohe Uwadiae presents She is a Place Called Home; a considered portrait of a bond tested by the expectations of their mother as well as their proud domineering father.
Being bicultural, you often find that you’re constantly observing the world through two lenses; quietly balancing two cultures side by side whilst trying to figure out your very own identity. Drawing on her very own experiences of being both Nigerian and British heritage, writer Esohe Uwadiae presents She Is A Place Called Home, an exploration of having dual nationalities and sisterhood. Ahead of the show’s performances, Esohe speaks to us about taking part in this year’s Vault Festival, having the show developed as part of VAULT Festival’s New Writers Programme and offers advice to aspiring playwrights!
In light of our current political climate, we’re left questioning what the future holds – a nation built on the efforts of many cultures, revealing deep rooted tensions heightened by our current political head of state. Migration is the root of all of our stories, whether directly or indirectly; the universality of migration a complex facet of our lives. Exploring this further in her current show NOTCH, writer and performer Danaja Wass draws from her own personal story of leaving Croatia to start a new life in Ireland for a better future. Ahead of the run, Danaja talks to us about exploring the show’s themes, how she approached creating the show and what audiences can expect.
Santi & Naz
Under the rumble of the Waterloo train tracks we meet Santi & Naz, two young girls living in India during pre-partition. These best friends are none the wiser to their political situation and with Santi being Sikh and Naz being Muslim, the threat of separation is approaching. When Naz is introduced to her soon to be much older husband, Santi is concerned for her safety and tries to warn her of the dangers of not just this man but of the violence that is happening all around them. In their childhood fashion they create a plan to escape the marriage which ends in disaster.