Maharlika is a Filipino expression that roughly translates as ‘free man’ or ‘warrior man’. An expression that concisely encapsulates the concept of independence, this term is fitting for this integral movement committed to showcasing works for and from Filipino artists. Live streamed from Grow Hackney on Monday 28th February and available to access online for a short time via YouTube, Maharlika UK Filipino Artist Platform is a necessary step in the right direction in regards to fostering intercultural exchanges locally, brilliantly addressing the need for greater diversity on our stages.

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Identifying the potential the online streaming platform has in regards to hosting theatrical works to new and wider audiences, YouTube have established the Digital Theatre Initiative – a funding and mentoring opportunity witnessing creatives receive up to £20,000 in financial support and guidance from YouTube’s content creation agency Remedy Inc to produce pieces of online content. Judged by an established theatre panel consisting of producer Matthew Byam Shaw, production designer Bunny Christie OBE, playwright Inua Ellams, actor Dame Sheila Hancock, chief commercial officer of LW Theatres Charlotte Longstaff and director Bijan Sheibani, the team will choose a maximum of four creatives they believe respond best to the question ‘what is theatre when it’s online?’. YouTube tell us more about the initiative!

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YouTube has today announced the launch of The Digital Theatre Initiative. The Initiative is designed to support those who want to create content that answers the question ‘what is theatre when it’s online?’ The aim is to help participants continue innovation in digital theatre, break down boundaries, make the arts accessible to more people, and ultimately encourage more people to engage with live theatre. With lockdown easing and the cultural sector beginning to look to the future, YouTube is exploring ways to support the industry and ultimately drive people back into theatres.

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With online platforms providing a means of communication and connection with the wider world during a time of isolation, a year on post the pandemic, we’ve witnessed a significant cultural shift towards utilising technology to work and interact. Drawing on this shift, ZU-UK present Project Perfect Stranger – a WhatsApp experience encouraging participants to work together to complete various tasks and  The PlagueRound Game Show, a Game Show – taking place after Perfect Project Stranger – played out via Zoom whereby participants reveal who they are to eachother and viewers for the first time. Ahead of the experience, sound designer Ross Flight tells us more about working on the project’s sound elements.

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Crafted from transcripts for an assessment for the Department of Work and Pensions, HERA Theatre’s ‘We Ask These Questions of Everybody’, to stream online on Friday 29th January 2021, highlights the mental, social and financial pressures faced by disabled people in the UK, especially during this very difficult time. Presented as a verbatim opera, the online production offers an insight into a community often underrepresented. Visual Artist Laura Spark –  who specialises in animations, projections and live visuals tells us more about her process for creating creative captioning for the show.

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Crafted from transcripts for an assessment for the Department of Work and Pensions, HERA Theatre’s ‘We Ask These Questions of Everybody’, to stream online on Friday 29th January 2021, highlights the mental, social and financial pressures faced by disabled people in the UK, especially during this very difficult time. Presented as a verbatim opera, the online production offers an insight into a community often underrepresented. Composer, musician and artist Amble Skuse – whose work involves working with a variety of texts which she then fuses with musical elements, tells us more about her creative process for the show.

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Dramatising the final days of the famed neo-expressionist Jean-Michel Basquiat‘s life, PoetryHouse present The Lost Generation – a behind-the-scenes examination of Basquiat’s dealings with fame, his collaboration with Andy Warhol, succeeding in the elitist world of art and creating a body of work that he truly believes in.

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Inspired by the life and works of celebrated artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, an artist noted for his social commentary on power structures, race and class – PoetryHouse founder Jahmar Ngozi presents The Lost Generation – an online production delving into Basquiat’s experiences of living in New York and being of the Caribbean diaspora. Ahead of the streaming across YouTube and Facebook Live, Jahmar tells us more about why he identifies with Basquiat, adapting the show for an online audience and how he’s found creating work during this challenging time.

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