Five outstanding new writers from the UK, US and Eastern Europe are the finalists for the 2023 Theatre503 International Playwriting Award. Olga Braga, Georgia Bruce, Roxy Cook, Charlotte Cromie, and Nia Akilah Robinson’s plays were chosen from 1,466 scripts sent in from 49 countries.
We’re living in a time where changes within the industry are proving incredibly significant; conversations around making theatre accessible and a lot more diversified are greatly prominent. There’s a feeling that within the next few years that theatre will truly reflect its audience, both on and off stage. It’s a very exciting time and offers hope to many who perhaps wouldn’t have thought theatre was a space for them, due to the feeling of theatre being an elitist art form. Many initiatives are shaping our landscape, one of which – #CONNECT: Black Women in Theatre offers a space for black creatives within the theatre industry to contemplate various issues to further advocate change. Founder and Executive Producer of the initiative, Stella Kanu tells us more about the event’s second year!
Generation upon generation, there’s a feeling of ‘our way’ being the best way to navigate a situation. There’s no better example of this type of framework than within the fabric of a familial home. The continue back and forth between parents and their children is what makes for powerful conversations as well as unavoidable clashes. Winsome Pinnock’s Leave Taking channels this ever moving energy to reveal a family of strong women battling the day to day.
Courtesy of Helen Murray.
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?’