Owning who you are is a complex process, one that takes time to fully realise. Our teenage years a time where we start to consciously make some sort of sense of this – a time where we awaken and rebel. Sisterhoods a vital support system outside of our own families that further define our journeys. Initially premiering at the 2020 edition of the VAULT Festival, Joel Samuels and Lilly Pollard’s punk rock musical Sugar Coat returns to the Southwark Playhouse stage with its unapologetic observation of a young woman’s journey from adolescence through to early adulthood.

Courtesy of Ali Wright.

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How we deal with traumas are dependent on how we process them, how we work to move on after the traumatic experience and the comfort we seek from the communities and systems around and put in place. Discussing what has been experienced in itself a difficult process, one that can bring feelings of guilt, shame, embarrassment but one also that can bring with it a powerful emotional and psychological release. An exploration of trauma and how this greatly impacts the dynamics of a family, Abby Vicky-Russell presents Gush.

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Figuring out who you are and being comfortable with this is a lengthy journey, an aspect of the human experience that feeds into the everyday. Being at peace with your sexuality something that weighs heavy for many. An exploration of queerness and the complexities within this, Bold Mellon present Belinda, a unique, quirky production that speaks to today.

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Courtesy of Lidia Crisafulli.

Whilst out on a run in his local neighbourhood in Georgia, aspiring football player Ahmaud ‘Maud’ Arbery, who was 25 at the time, was fatally shot in a racially aggravated attack. A story that gripped and incensed the world – the tragic case brought further attention to the ever present issues of policing and gun control in the US, the incident resulting in the perpetrators being prosecuted and Georgia passing its first ever hate-crimes law. Following the subsequent trial of the three white defendants which led to Georgia passing its first ever hate-crimes law, Maud presents media stories, testimonies and historical interviews. The show exploring how a harrowing video recording of the deadly shooting opened the door for a trial that gripped a world already reeling from numerous protests over racial justice. Marking Andrew French’s directorial debut, Maudis set to play from the 21st to 25th February at this year’s Vault Festival. Ahead of the run, Andrew tells us more about this potent story further, plans for the show beyond VAULT Festival and what audiences can expect.

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For some, birthdays are a time of celebration, for others, not so much! Our youth obsessed culture one that tends to ignore the value of wisdom accumulated amongst the years. Drawing on this societal norm in a one woman show Degenerate, this is not a test and Maria Teresa Creasey present the work in progress as part of this year’s Vault Festival.

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Following its triumphant return for the first time since the pandemic, VAULT Festival, the UK’s leading festival of live performance, has been advised by its venue-landlord, The Vaults, that it must find a new home for future festivals.

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Being tasked with the running of a nation is no mean feat, taking on the responsibility of a premiership, one not be taken lightly! I’m sure we all have ideas as to how to run society in ways beneficial to the many, agendas that’ll move the world forward for the better. Picture, however, waking up and assuming your day will be yet another typical one, only to find out that the premiership has been bestowed onto you, and that you’ve now become your nation’s lead. Taking on this year’s Vault Festival at the Cage venue, Thick ‘N’ Fast present General Secretary.

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A beautifully directed play about two flatmates navigating the aftermath of Jack’s unfortunate encounter with Mr Pandemonium. Set in a rundown flat permeated with mould the two friends share with an unknown number of furry lodgers; the drama unfolds as Jack enters with blood on his head. Don’t Smoke in Bed is a 1-hour play which explores the harrowing toll sexual violence can have on a person and those close to them. It tells the story of the initial stages of trying to cope when the perpetrator lives in your head and the finite patience of even our loved ones.

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In this post-colonial world that we live in, we’re starting to delve into the topic of world history, and how this connects us all. We’re examining ‘empire’, what this looks like, how structures have been established and played out, and how moving forward, we build a world that reflects, yet calls for change where needed. Having made the move from Singapore to the UK 5 years ago, and both gaining a masters degree in the process, theatre maker Mohamad Faizal Abdullah, alongside his theatre producer wife Nur Khairiyah have carved out a new life for themselves. Within this process however, constantly confronted with the question of identity and belonging – something very familiar with anyone of more than one culture. Presenting Siapa Yang Bawa Melayu Aku Pergi? ( Who Took My Malay Away?), Abdullah breaks down his Singaporean, Malay, Muslim, British roots in an entertaining hour.

Courtesy of Héctor Manchego.

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