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Thomas Hopkins & Michael Quinn for Ginger Quiff Media in association with Guy Chapman
Peter Polycarpou and Sally Ann Triplett revive
the golden era in Falling Stars
Union Theatre, 229 Union Street, London, SE1 0LR
Sunday 22nd and 29th November 2020

Stars of stage and screen Peter Polycarpou (Man of La Mancha, London Coliseum; City of
Angels; Donmar Warehouse; Birds of a Feather) and Sally Ann Triplett (Finding Neverland,
Broadway; Viva Forever, Piccadilly Theatre; EastEnders) unite in the new musical Falling Stars. Conceived and written by Polycarpou, the song cycle is an homage to the composers, collaborators, and publishers of the 1920s, who created some of the greatest music of all time

Falling Stars is the charming story of a lost songbook; hidden away in an antique shop on the East Finchley High Road, its discovery unlocks the beautiful refrains of a bygone era. The entrancing production includes the earliest songs and forgotten melodies of composers who went on to become the most famous songwriters of the century, who changed entertainment forever

This musical revue captures the spirit of the age as Polycarpou and Triplett serenade audiences with the music of Charlie Chaplin, Irving Berlin, Buddy De-Silva, Ray Henderson, Vincent Youmans, Carl Schraubstader, Arthur Freed, and Meredith Wilson. Directed by Michael Strassen (Godspell 50th Anniversary concert; Billy; Assassins), Falling Stars will be performed live at Southwark’s Union Theatre for two nights only

Peter Polycarpou comments, Falling Stars is a collection of songs written just after another
pandemic – the influenza pandemic of 1918, which killed at least 30 million people worldwide

And why did the 1920s roar like they did? Because the music of The Charleston, The Tango and The Foxtrot were an escape from the awful social nightmare of the modern world. These songs are a reminder of a time when song writing was both a craft and a blessed escape

To remain Covid-Secure, and ensure social distancing is adhered to, the Union Theatre will
follow up-to-date safety regulations, reconfiguring the space to accommodate live audiences. All auditorium seating has been replaced by grouped seating or ‘bubbles’, reducing the overall venue capacity and increasing the floor space.

2020 CHRISTMAS AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM

ELAINE PAIGE JOINS THE CAST OF

P A N T O L A N D   A T   T H E   P A L L A D I U M

www.palladiumpantomime.com

Qdos Entertainment announced today (16 October 2020) that Elaine Paige will join the cast of Pantoland at The Palladium for the three-week festive run beginning 12 December 2020, which sees pantomime return to the world-famous The London Palladium for a fifth consecutive year.

Paige, returning to The London Palladium having played Queen Rat in Dick Whittington in 2017, joins the previously announced panto favourites Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers and Gary Wilmot, past stars Ashley Banjo & Diversity and Charlie Stemp and Palladium panto newcomers West End stars Beverley Knight and Jac Yarrow.

Multiple award-winning actor, recording artist, producer and broadcaster Elaine Paige will play Queen Rat.  She has previously starred in more West End and Broadway musicals than anyone else of her generation – Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease, Billy, Evita, Cats, Chess, Anything Goes, Piaf, Sunset Boulevard, The King & I, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Drowsy Chaperone and Follies.  In addition, she was part of the Sir Peter Hall Company for The Misanthrope and Where There’s A Will.  Her BBC Radio 2 programme, Elaine Paige on Sunday, is broadcast weekly to over 2.5 million listeners and is now in its sixteenth year.  As a recording artist, she has released 22 solo albums as well as featuring on multiple cast albums.  She can currently be seen on BBC1 in Life.  Paige was made an OBE in 1995.

Elaine Paige said: “I absolutely loved playing the evil Queen Rat in Dick Whittington a couple of years ago and can’t wait to be back on The London Palladium’s stage again this year, alongside Julian and the wonderful panto gang.  Bringing theatre back to the West End is vital for our industry, which has been largely closed since March. I’m thrilled to play a part in helping theatre take its first steps towards full reopening in 2021. It’s time to escape the challenges around us all and give everyone a well-needed laugh!”

This production at The London Palladium has been made possible as a result of a creative initiative announced by The National Lottery last week which it hopes will enable hundreds of thousands of theatregoers to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas in theatres across the nation. The initiative will see The National Lottery buy seats that need to remain empty to enable social-distancing, complying with relevant government and public health guidance. By making it viable for theatres to open their doors to the general public, up to 250,000 tickets are expected to be available, with more than 20,000 free tickets available for National Lottery players and the rest to go on sale. This will generate vital income for theatres and help restore jobs – while providing much-needed cheer for panto lovers at Christmas.      

Pantoland at The Palladium is the first of a number of productions at theatres across the country to be announced, with further venues to be confirmed in the coming weeks. 

The London Palladium pantomime has become an essential part of Christmas in London, with record-breaking box office success year-after-year. Pantoland at The Palladium, devised by Michael Harrison, will be a treasure-trove of The London Palladium panto past and exciting new surprises written especially for the show, guaranteeing an unmissable treat for panto and musical theatre fans alike.

The show will feature the work of Olivier Award-Winning Team director Michael Harrison, choreographer Karen Bruce, set designer Ian Westbrook, costume designer Hugh Durrant, lighting designer Ben Cracknell, sound designer Gareth Owen and composer and orchestrator Gary Hind.

Celebrating the very best of pantomime, with comedy in abundance, this star-filled extravaganza will play to a socially-distanced audience. Operating in line with the Government’s current guidance around the reopening of theatres, performances of Pantoland at The Palladium will run with a wide suite of health and safety measures (including reconfiguration of seating across the venue and the mandatory wearing of face coverings) that keep audiences, staff and crews safe. Since July, The London Palladium has been designated an official Government pilot venue to support the safe and full reopening of theatres across the country.

Pantoland at The Palladium is produced by Michael Harrison and Nick Thomas for Qdos Entertainment. As the world’s biggest pantomime producer, over the past 38 years Qdos Entertainment has established itself as one of the largest entertainment companies in Europe. Over the past three decades the pantomime giant has staged 754 pantomimes.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Theatre:                               The London Palladium, Argyll St, London W1F 7TF

Dates:                                  12 December 2020 – 3 January 2021

Performances:                      see website for performance schedule

Website:                               www.palladiumpantomime.com

Twitter:                      @PalladiumPanto                      

Facebook:                             www.facebook.com/PalladiumPanto

Instagram:                           palladiumpanto

ARIA ENTERTAINMENT AND WEF PRODUCTIONS JOIN FORCES WITH THE LOWRY TO BRING THE CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED OUTDOOR SHOW C-o-n-t-a-c-t TO THE STREETS OF SALFORD AND MANCHESTER

Aria Entertainment and WEF Productions are delighted to announce that following the critically-acclaimed UK premiere of C-o-n-t-a-c-t, this immersive, two-hander outdoor performance featuring a captivating 3D sound design will run in partnership with The Lowry in two locations – Salford Quays and central Manchester for six weeks from 19 January 2021. Casting will be announced in due course. 

The production has also been licensed to open further afield in Brussels, Rome, Sweden and Chile with potential further locations including New York, Australia, South Africa and Germany in discussion. The production opens this month in Brussels and Rome whilst Sweden and Chile will open in November this year.

“We are absolutely thrilled that C-o-n-t-a-c-t will embark on a run in Salford and Manchester after its launch in London this Autumn. Greater Manchester is a fantastic city-region of culture which we have strong roots in so we could not be more proud to be bringing this unique sensory experience to new audiences in partnership with The Lowry.” Katy Lipson and Mathilde Moulin, Producers.

Matt Eames, Senior Programmer and Producer at The Lowry, said: “In these challenging times it’s so important we find new ways to connect with audiences. After the show’s big impact in London, we’re excited to work with Katy and WEF Productions to bring C-o-n-t-a-c-t to two locations in Greater Manchester before it continues its journey around the world. I’m certain our audiences will love this unique blend of sound and immersive theatre.”

“Since writing this play and developing the new technology during lockdown in Paris back in April, I could never have imagined that C-o-n-t-a-c-t would go on to be something we could share on such an international level. I am so proud that we have been able to bring people together to experience quality live theatre safely during these times” Samuel Sené, Director.

This innovative production opened to 4* reviews from The Guardian and the i, with The Times calling it “a tantalising vision of a new kind of theatre for these difficult times.”

C-o-n-t-a-c-t brings together a creative team of international talent including Director Samuel Sené, Book by Eric Chantelauze, English adaptation by Quentin Bruno, Music and Sound Designer Cyril Barbessol and Associate Director Bronagh Lagan.

Originally created by Samuel Sené and Gabrielle Jourdain and premiering in France with French production company Musidrama over the summer in a world where social distancing became the ‘new normal’, this timely story of a moving and unexpected encounter explores the themes of mental health and anxiety through the eyes of Sarah as she is approached by someone she believes to be a stranger. She discovers that he can hear her thoughts but how? Who is this man? Dive into her mind in this unique sensory and immersive new show and experience theatre like never before.

The show runs for 50 minutes without an interval and audiences download the audio from the app which is a completely new piece of technology synchronizing the spectators and actors, allowing the show to play with theatrical concepts and a new form of dramaturgy. Audiences of no more than 17 per show will purchase their tickets online and will then receive a link to download the app which will provide the exact location.

Following the government’s announcement regarding the reduction of social gatherings to 6, it is understood that this doesn’t affect performances of C-o-n-t-a-c-t as the show complies with the safety & hygiene measures in place for businesses and the performing arts set out by the government. This pedestrian performance is an outdoor promenade experience for small groups of up to 17 and adheres to strict social distancing between audience members. It is also an audio experience that involves no direct speaking of any actor in the play. All audience members will be required to wear a face-covering and observe social distancing measures. 

Tickets can be purchased via The Lowry’s website here and the latest video can be viewed here.

West End talents unite to create ‘Hush’

–       Performers from the Royal Ballet and Les Misérables combine their skills for new original song and dance film

–       ‘Hush’ aims to highlight the mental health challenges many face as a result of lockdown 

London, UK, 15 October 2020: Performers from across West End theatre and the Royal Ballet have come together to make a new original song and accompanying dance film. Entitled ‘Hush’, the piece aims to highlight the importance of positive mental health during the coronavirus pandemic and to raise awareness of the brilliance of the UK’s performing arts at a time of mounting concern for the sector.

The pandemic has created incredible challenges for society at large, causing an increase in anxiety and sharp rise in people reporting mental health issues. ‘Hush’ intends to draw attention to the need for many to seek out peace and calm against a backdrop of ongoing uncertainty and noise.

‘Hush’ was written by musical theatre composer/lyricist Kath Haling with additional musical arrangement by Harry Haden-Brown, and vocals provided by West End performer Leo Miles (Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables). Choreographed by Erico Montes, former First Artist of the Royal Ballet, the film features dancers from the Royal Ballet including Benjamin Ella, Harry Churches and Giacomo Rovero, who perform together for the first time since lockdown began.

‘Hush’ songwriter Kath Haling commented, “2020 has been an extremely chaotic and challenging year with many people feeling anxious about factors beyond their control. Add to this the noise from social media and pressure of so-called ‘toxic-productivity’, there is little respite from what can all-too-often feel like a tsunami of pressure and negativity. The idea for ‘Hush’ came from a need to find peace and quiet in amongst the overwhelming ‘noise’ felt by many during lockdown.”

Haling continued, “We wanted to help people remember that no matter how chaotic and overwhelming things can feel, we have the power within ourselves to take a moment, sit still and breathe. ‘Hush’ is about the understanding that finding that sense of peace is never out of our reach.”

The UK is a creative and cultural powerhouse, with British theatre, film and music a vital part of the nation’s soft power. However, the coronavirus pandemic has had a catastrophic effect on the performing arts sector, which is on the brink of collapse due to the extended closure of venues and performers isolated from each other. ‘Hush’ provided an opportunity for the team involved to be united and perform together once more. 

Choreographer Erico Montes commented, “After months of doing ballet classes alone in my living room, it was very special to work again with fellow dancers and performers. I was inspired by Kath’s lyrics which talk about a yearning for space as well as physical and mental freedom – something we can all relate to, most especially during lockdown.”

‘Hush’ can be viewed online at https://youtu.be/OZl5D9mj-uY

With this work, the team behind‘Hush’would like to support Acting for Others, an organisation who provide financial and emotional support to industry workers in times of need, through 14 member charities. Those who feel able to do so, can donate here: www.actingforothers.co.uk.

‘Hush’ Full Credits

• Music & Lyrics by Kath Haling
• Piano and Arrangement by Harry Haden-Brown
• Vocals by Leo Miles
• Song Mastering by Andrew Furze
• Choreography by Erico Montes
• Ballet Dancers: Benjamin Ella, Harry Churches & Giacomo Rovero
• Filmed & Edited by Peter Saunders
• Behind the scenes stills Photography by Kate Scott
• Rehearsal and performance space provided by Cre8 Studios/Stour Space Hackney

ST HELENS THEATRE ROYAL SUCCESSFUL IN COVID-19 RECOVERY GRANT BID

St Helens Theatre Royal have been successful in their bid for funds from the Government’s £1.57 billion Covid-19 Culture Recovery Fund.

The news was announced as part of the first round of the Culture Recovery Funds grants programme administered by Arts Council England.

The grant will support the venue over the coming months with the on-going challenges due to the Coronavirus pandemic – allowing the theatre to open for socially distanced performances, as well as improve facilities at the venue.

Theatre Manager Chantelle Nolan said: “We are absolutely delighted to be awarded funds as part of the Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund. This will ensure we can continue to serve the local community and secure our future.

“These funds will be invaluable towards securing job retention, enable us to open social distanced performances, present our annual pantomime and make improvements at the venue and improve access facilities.

“We cannot wait to open our theatre doors again and look forward to welcoming audiences back where they can expect the same world-class entertainment that St Helens Theatre Royal is renowned for.”

The theatre’s annual festive Christmas Covid-secure pantomime production is on sale now – Regal Entertainments’ enchanting tale of Beauty and the Beast will be entertaining audiences from Friday 11 December 2020 – Sunday 3 January 2021.

St Helens Theatre Royal will be fully adhering to social distancing measures and Government guidelines to ensure the safety of theatregoers, venue staff, cast and crew.

Covid-secure safety measures being implemented include reduced capacity auditorium, temperature checks, the wearing of face masks, deep cleaning, and pre-order drinks and confectionery.

For more information please visit www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com

Follow St Helens Theatre Royal on social media channels: 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/St-Helens-Theatre-Royal 

Twitter: @TheatreRoyalStH 

Instagram: @TheatreRoyalStH  

LISTING DETAILS 

Regal Entertainments Ltd Present: Beauty And The Beast 

Dates: Friday 11 December 2020 – Sunday 3 January 2021 

Tickets: From £14* 

*All prices are inclusive of a £1 per seat booking fee. Online bookings are subject to an additional 50p per seat on-line processing fee. 

CONTACT 

Due to the Coronavirus, St Helens Theatre Royal Box Office is closed for in-person bookings. Telephone bookings can be made by calling 01744 756000 between 10am and 2pm on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. Online bookings are available at www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com or email the Box Office on [email protected] 

BLACKEYED THEATRE 

ANNOUNCE THE RETURN OF THEIR TOURING PRODUCTION OF 

JANE EYRE 

WILL BE PERFORMED FOR TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY 

AT THE WILDE THEATRE IN BRACKNELL

Blackeyed Theatre are thrilled to announce their acclaimed production of Jane Eyre, which was forced to close on 16 March 2020 as a result of COVID-19, returns to the stage for two public performances on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 November 2020 at the Wilde Theatre in Bracknell. The production will subsequently be available to stream on demand throughout the autumn. 

Seen by over 19,000 people in 40 towns and cities across the UK, Jane Eyre had thirteen weeks of performances left, including a month in China, when the closure of theatres left thousands of ticket-holders disappointed. But for just two nights, socially-distanced audiences will be able to enjoy the production described as‘a triumph’ (Susan Elkin, Sardines Magazine), and gives the actors their final curtain, which the pandemic denied them. For those unable to see the live show the performance will be filmed and available on demand throughout autumn. 

Last month Blackeyed Theatre successfully live-streamed their production ofThe Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde to audiences’ homes all over the UK, whilst performing the show to a socially-distanced audience at the Wilde Theatre. The performance will be available on demand soon. 

Artistic Director of Blackeyed Theatre and Director of Jane Eyre Adrian McDougall said: 

“Bringing Jane Eyre back to the stage at such a precarious time for the theatre industry is an important step for us. There’s a real hunger among the cast and artistic team to get back to what we love doing, and among audiences for that shared live experience. We achieved it in September with Jekyll & Hyde and the feeling was extraordinary. It shows what can be achieved and the benefits to artists, audiences and venues. Investing in people by continuing to create in a sustainable way is more important now than it’s ever been. As an industry we all share that responsibility, because without the individuals who create the work, we’re nothing.” 

The performance of Jane Eyre features Kelsey Short, Ben Warwick, Camilla Simson, Eleanor Toms and Oliver Hamilton. Adapted for the stage from Charlotte Brontë’s novel by Nick Lane, the production features original music by George Jennings. It is directed by Adrian McDougall, with musical direction by Ellie Verkerk, movement direction by Sammy Fonfe, and fight and intimacy direction by Enric Ortuño.Lucy Fennell (Assistant Director),Victoria Spearing (Set Designer), Alan Valentine (Lighting Designer), Naomi Gibbs (Costume Designer) and Benjamin Smith (Technical Stage Manager) complete the artistic team. 

Jane Eyreis produced by Blackeyed Theatre in association with South Hill Park Arts Centre. 

NATIONAL THEATRE ANNOUNCES NEW ASSOCIATES AND PETER HALL BURSARY RECIPIENTS 

The National Theatre announced today that Rufus Norris, NT Director and Joint Chief Executive, has invited Ola Animashawun and Clint Dyer to join as Associates of the National Theatre.  

In addition, The Peter Hall Bursary has been expanded to support three new artists. The directors who have been invited to receive this fund are Ned Bennett, Ola Ince and Nancy Medina and they will be supported by the NT for the next two years.   

Ola Animashawun, was previously the founder and Head of the Royal Court Young Writers Programme, where he was also an Associate. Ola will work at Associate level in both Learning and the New Work Department at the NT, as well as continuing in his role as Connections Dramaturg which he has held since 2018.  In this new position he will work cross organisationally towards racial equity and increased representation both in the work presented on stage and at all levels in the NT’s workforce.   

Ola is joined by Clint Dyer who becomes an NT Associate following playing ‘Cutler’ in the NTs Olivier winning production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, the success of Death of England and the programming of Death of England: Delroy, which will open in the Olivier theatre later this month. In this role Clint will work closely with Rufus Norris and the Senior Artistic team and together with the Associates will advise on programming decisions. He will also continue to act and write and direct his own work. Clint Dyer’s Associate role is supported by the NT Foundation as a Peter Hall Bursary.    

The NT Associates are a group of leading artists, creatives and theatre makers who provide thought leadership and advisory input across all areas of the National Theatre’s artistic mission, galvanising change and providing fresh incisive perspectives on the decisions of the Director and Senior Managers. They take on special projects that they both initiate and at the request of the Director, as well as make their own work. 

The National Theatre is committed to supporting freelance artists and continuing to expand the pool of directors making work at the NT. Every two years The Peter Hall Bursary is awarded to an exceptionally talented director, providing them with the opportunity to develop their experience through an attachment at the NT. Previous recipients of this bursary include Emily Lim and Alexander Zeldin.  

This year the bursary has been expanded to support three directors, Ned Bennett, Ola Ince and Nancy Medina. These three new Bursaries are in recognition of these directors’ artistic merit and outstanding achievement in their body of work over the last five years, with the long-term aim of bringing their great talent onto the National Theatre’s stages for the benefit of our audiences.    

Each director will use the financial and artistic support to gain a greater understanding of the workings of the NT and be empowered and supported to develop work to direct at scale for the National Theatre’s stages.  NT Associate Lyndsey Turner will be working closely with all three directors in a mentor capacity and the two-year Bursary will support a period of artistic development and research, create a space for enquiry and the development of their own creative practice. 

Speaking about the bursaries Rufus Norris said, “At a pivotal moment in my career I was hugely fortunate in being awarded an Arts Foundation fellowship which gave me some crucial breathing space within a period where my artistic development was being hampered by an inability to simply pay my rent, a situation most freelancers will be very familiar with. That breathing space allowed me, for a year, to focus solely on my artistic work, and I am incredibly grateful to the National Theatre Foundation for their support in delivering something similar to these three exceptional directors. We will be making demands of them but with the sole aim to keep them growing creatively through this most challenging of times.” 

Camden People’s Theatre announces four ‘Outside the Box’ commissioned artists   Brand new commission for projects exploring ‘live’ in the era of closed theatres and social distancing  Announced in August, ‘Outside the Box’ supports R&D towards digital or live sharings in Autumn 2020/Spring 2021  Artists/companies commissioned are Pigfoot, John Akinde, Adam Welsh, and Anna Morrissey & Tristan Kajanus; plus two additional seed commissions due to high quality of submissions  Artists were selected by a panel including members of CPT’s local community and artists from marginalised backgrounds

In August 2020, Camden People’s Theatre announced its biggest ever round of commissions: now, it’s proud to announce the four artists selected for their Outside the Box commission. Bespoke to the Covid era, Outside the Box commissions are to develop larger-scale projects which are either live, virtual or both, and which explore what ‘live performance’ can be at a time of closed theatres. CPT also welcomed projects that communicate meaningfully – and promise exciting cultural encounters – with their local communities, themselves isolated in many cases by the Covid-19 pandemic. These commissions will support R&D towards a digital or live sharing in autumn 2020 or spring 2021. The judging panel comprised members of CPT’s local community and artists from marginalised backgrounds alongside members of the CPT team. 

The four artists and companies are: 

• Pigfoot, a multi-award winning, carbon-neutral theatre company dedicated to making collaborative theatre with and for those grappling with ecological crisis, led by Bea Udale-Smith and Hetty Hodgson. Pigfoot will be developing ‘HOT IN HERE: a carbon-neutral dance party’(working title) to explore Camden’s role in the global climate and ecological crisis. In 2018, a shocking 6.8% of adult deaths in Camden were attributable to air pollution. This new show is a co-creation led by interviews between young climate activists in Camden and those at the ‘frontline of the crisis’ across the globe. Pigfoot will create a ‘carbon-neutral dance party’, a hopeful and multidisciplinary piece of ‘protest theatre’ powered by the energy generated by the performers’ collective bodies.  
• John Akinde (also known as OSOM), who creates work that seeks to entertain, challenge and provoke thought. John was born and raised in East London, and carries with him a West African (Nigeria) heritage. MANDEM is both a campaign and a research and development project towards a web drama highlighting the current realities of prisoner experiences under Covid-19. John will curate a six-week campaign of podcast discussions and provocations with ex-prisoners and young men who have difficulties with the law. The MANDEM project will centre around mental health, identity and justice – culminating in a web drama, Belly of the Beast, to be showcased online. 
• Adam Welsh, a writer, performer and sound designer. His debut show There but for the grace of God (go I) was developed with CPT and ARC Stockton and most recently seen at Soho Theatre. No Futureis a multi-dimensional theatre project merging verbatim techniques and live cinema, and created with CPT’s local communities. The project will explore the theatricalisation of remote (dis)connection and the element of voyeurism implicit in entering people’s private spaces through a camera. It will deconstruct a night at the theatre and playfully put it back together, from a distance and in close up. ‘No Future’ investigates what theatre can be, what role it can play and whether we really need it. 
• Anna Morrissey and Tristan Kajanus, who present ‘North West’, a headphones-based audio artwork mixing recorded verbatim testimony with sound design and music. It documents the stories, testimonies and memories of the former students of North Westminster Community School, which stood in the Paddington Basin for 25 years before it was demolished in 2006. The site where nearly 40,000 comprehensive school students were once educated is now home to luxury flats worth up to £1.5m. There is almost nothing to testify to the school’s existence apart from a one-line entry on Wikipedia. Former students Anna and Tristan collaborate for the first time to make an artistic stand against the erasure of their personal history in the face of gentrification. Anna Morrissey has worked across theatre, opera and dance as a movement director and director. Her work has been shown on the West End, the National, the RSC, and the Royal Opera House, as well as many major regional venues and internationally. Tristan Kajanus is a DJ, producer and record store owner. He spent 10 years producing and hosting The Essential Guide for Radio Monaco, is a former music director for Vnitroblock, and is currently working as music director with Manifesto Market. 

Each company receives a £4,000 commission, £800 fund for professional development plus over £7,000 of in kind support, including rehearsal space and mentoring from CPT’s core team, included dedicated time with their Community Engagement Manager and Audience Development Officer.  

Because of the quality of the submissions, CPT has also granted an additional £1,000 seed commission to two companies: Knaive Theatre to develop a Zoom performance about the experience of Bangladeshi frontline workers during the pandemic, and Kill the Cat for a live streamed, office party-themed Christmas show produced by Turtle Key Arts. Kill the Cat’s Office Christmas Party is provisionally scheduled to live-stream from Dec 8 to 18; tickets to be released later this autumn. 

In addition to the Outside the Box commissions, nine Seed Commissions will be offered exclusively to artists from marginalised backgrounds for projects for digital presentation or working towards live performance when the sector starts to reopen. Finally, CPT will offer six places on their ten-week residency and peer network for early-career artists, Starting Blocks, which has been funded for the first time. At least three of the places will be offered to artists from marginalised groups.  

Artistic director Brian Logan said: “We’re thrilled to be working with four extraordinary artists on these supremely exciting new artworks. We were overwhelmed by the volume and quality of submissions, and are deeply indebted to the community panel who helped select such a diverse and timely roster of projects. At a time when audiences are often isolated and certainly starved of live performance, and when freelance practitioners are struggling to survive, it’s essential that organisations like ours support artists, right now, to make new work – work that brings people together, challenges orthodoxies and explores the times we’re living in. We’re grateful – particularly to our funders the Paul Hamlyn Foundation – to have the chance to do so, and can’t wait to see what our Outside the Box commissions bring into the world.” 

Founded 26 years ago, Camden People’s Theatre is one of Britain’s most influential studio theatres. Its mission is to champion different ways of thinking about the world by supporting emerging artists making adventurous theatre – particularly about issues that matter to people now. Its work is rooted in the communities of Camden and London. Through it, they celebrate the bold, the spirited and the unconventional.  

CPT is continuing to support artists at this difficult time, and is engaged in an ongoing delicate balancing act between its responsibilities to its artists and community, and its need to ensure its own long-term survival. If you are able to support their work with a one-off or regular donation please visit the ‘support us’ pages on our website.  

Twitter: @CamdenPT | Insta: @camdenpeoplestheatre | www.facebook.com/CamdenPeoplesTheatre 

Listings information 

Camden People’s Theatre, 58-60 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PY  

08444 77 1000 | www.cptheatre.co.uk 

www.cptheatre.co.uk | 020 7419 4841 

SPONSORED BY STERLING BANK & GOOGLE AFRICA

AKÉ FESTIVAL 2020

AFRICA’S LEADING INTERNATIONAL

ARTS AND BOOK FESTIVAL GOES DIGITAL

THURSDAY 22 – SUNDAY 25 OCTOBER 2020

Tickets available from 12pm West African Time, 12pm GMT, 10 September 2020 https://Akéfestival.org/

 THE BIGGEST COLLECTION OF BLACK VOICES ON AFRICAN SOIL

ABI DARÉ | AFUA HIRSCH | BLACKMAN AKÉEB KAREEM |

DEREK OWUSU | DESMOND COLE | DESMOND HALL | EMMA DABIRI | ESI EDUGYAN | FATOUMATA DAIWARA | JESSICA HORN |

KELECHI OKAFOR | LEBOGANG MASHILE | MARLON JAMES |

MONA ELTAHAWY | NNEDI OKORAFOR | NICOLE DENNIS-BENN | OKECHUKWU NZELU | PETINA GAPPAH |

SARA-JAYNE MAKWALA-KING | STELLA NYANZI | TAYARI JONES | TEMIE GIWA-TUBOSON | TOCHI ONYEBUCHI | VANESSA KISUULE | WOLE SOYINKA

LAGOS, NIGERIA, Monday 24 August 2020: Africa’s leading arts and book event Aké Festival will return Thursday 22 – Sunday 25 October with a free programme of 65 inspiring talks, workshops, panel discussions and performances from the most exciting voices across Africa and the African Diaspora.

Due to the global coronavirus crisis, Aké Festival will go digital for 2020. This online edition of the festival will be free to access by audiences all over the world, creating an important platform for the intellectually and culturally curious to tAké part in this celebration of black excellence, resilience and resistance.

Now in its eighth year, Aké Festival is world’s largest collection of African creative voices on African soil and hosts some of the most sought-after, innovative voices in black thought.

The theme for 2020 is ‘African Time’, in recognition of the global anti-racism movement that has gathered momentum and visibility in recent months. Audiences across the world are invited to join luminaries from contemporary fiction, non-fiction, poetry, film, theatre, music and visual arts in discussions about some of the most critical issues of our time, including race, gender, identity, equality and empathy.

Lola Shoneyin, Director & Founder, Aké Arts and Book Festival, said: “Our world has changed forever; the magnitude of recent world events cannot be ignored. In 1918, African nations were in the clutches of imperial forces that degraded our stories, culture, history, language and belief systems. More than a century later, the COVID-19 pandemic finds Africa struggling with the colonial hangover of poor leadership and a predatory global order. Now is the time for Africa to recalibrate and break the cycle of betrayal by those elected to lead. It may have come later than hoped for, but, for the children of Africa everywhere, this is African Time.”

FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

Over the course of the festival, attendees will be able to participate in 27 stimulating panel discussions, 20 author talks, storytelling sessions, 3 workshops, a concert, poetry performances, films and a stage play. Topics under discussion will range from intersectional feminism, blacktivism and colourism to the burgeoning post-COVID mental health crisis and decolonisation of black spaces. Panel discussion highlights include: Black Women Harnessing Anger for Social Change; Publishing While Black; Decolonising Feminism in Africa; Writing Queer, Writing Black; and Why African Needs Feminist Giants.

On the morning of Sunday 25 October, a cross-religion communion will be held with leaders and practitioners from multiple religions and beliefs including Christianity, Islam and indigenous Nigerian faiths. Together they will ask universal questions like ‘why are we here?’ from their own religious perspectives.

This year’s line-up of more than 130 authors, artists and creatives, includes:

·       American Tayari Jones, winner of the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction and New York Times best-selling author who will speak about her new novel Silver Sparrow;

·       Booker Prize-winning Jamaican author Marlon James who joins award-wining Nigerian-American science-fiction and fantasy author Nnedi Okorafor in a panel discussion titled ‘When African History Meets Futurism’;

·       Two-time Giller Prize-winning Canadian author Esi Edugyan will speak about her acclaimed work Washington Black;

·       Winner of African Literary Person of the Year 2016, Zimbabwean novelist Petina Gappah will speak about her novel Out of Darkness, Shining Light;

·       Tochi Onyebuchi, American author of the urgent – and somewhat prescient – dystopian novel Riot Baby;

·       Nigerian-born Abi Daré, who will talk about her latest book Girl with the Louding Voice, awarded Amazon Best Book of the Year So Far in 2020 and New York Times best-seller;

·       British-South African Sara-Jayne Makwala-King, whose debut memoir Killing Karonline reflects on how her biracial identity was shaped by racism, colourism and Apartheid, will explore ‘Africa’s Isms: Colourism and Tribalism’;

·       Ugandan feminist and gay rights activist Stella Nyanzi, who was released from prison earlier this year after insulting the Ugandan President and remains a fierce and uncowed advocate for change will discuss ‘Why Africa Needs Feminist Giants’ with intersectional feminist Mona Eltahawy, Egyptian-American author of Headscarves and Hymens (2015)and The Seven Necessary Sins For Women and Girls (2019);

·       British writer and filmmAkér Afua Hirsch, who joins Irish-Nigerian author Emma Dabiri (Don’t Touch My Hair) andBritish actor Kelechi Okafor in a panel discussion titled ‘Black Women Harnessing Anger for Social Change’;

·       Best-selling Canadian journalist and author Desmond Cole who will lead a panel discussion on ‘Blacktivism Around The World’;

·       Jamaican Nicole Dennis-Benn, best-selling author of Here Comes The Sun and Patsy, who will explore the topic ‘Writing Queer, Writing Black’;

·       Ugandan-American founding member of the African Feminist Forum Jessica Horn, chair of the discussion Decolonising Feminism in Africa;

·       British author Derek Owusu, whowill talk about his acclaimed work That Reminds Me, which won the Desmond Elliot Prize for debut fiction;

·       Cambridge University alumnus Okechukwu Nzelu will discuss his debut book The Private Joys of Nnena Maloney; and

·       Founder and CEO of LifeBank, Africa’s healthcare supply chain, Nigerian-American Temie Giwa-Tuboson – who is celebrated for her innovative use of drones and speedboats to deliverurgently needed blood supplies – will draw on her decades of experience with the Department For International Development (DFID), World Health Organization, UNDP, and the Lagos State Government to answer the question: How Efficiently Can Technology Solve Africa’s Problems?

FILM, MUSIC AND VISUAL ARTS PROGRAMME

Beyond the world of literature, Aké Festival has an incredible programme of film, music, theatre and visual arts.

A new art project for 202 titled WS 20 for 20 will seeNobel Prize for Literature Laureate Wole Soyinka present 20 works from his astonishing collection of African antiquities, explaining their histories and personal significances. The contemporary art exhibition curated by Jessica Byenyan Bitrus, will adopt ‘African Time’ as its theme and feature artists from all over the world.

On Thursday 22 October, the new film ‘Elders Corner’ will be screened. Part of Sheffield Doc Fest 2020’s Official Selection, the film traces how Nigerian music – from the colourful, celebratory sounds of Juju music to the politicised urgency of Afrobeat – has spearheaded some of Africa’s most prominent musical movements and asks what has happened to these pioneers since their heydays?

On Friday 23 October, the Festival will be tAkén over by a music concert featuring some of Africa’s most celebrated artists, including Blackman Akéeb Kareem (sometimes described as the Mick Jagger of Africa),Malian BAFTA and Academy Award nominee Fatoumata Daiware, Falana, Beautiful Nubia, Urban Village, Maia and the Big Sky, Bab L’ Bluz, Akua Naru,  Joyce Olong and Christine Obiamalu.

The acclaimed new theatrical work Venus vs. Modernity will have its digital premiere on the evening of Saturday 24 October. Produced by poet, artist, and activist Lebogang Mashile, the play explores the life of Sara Baartman, aka the Hottentot Venus.

Sunday 25 October will be a celebration of poetry in all its forms, featuring the likes of the award-winning British slam poet and Bristol City Poet 2018-2020 Vanessa Kisuule in addition to Afurakan, Vangi Gantsho, Ola Elhassan, Yomi Sode, D’bi Anitafrika, Titilope Sonuga, Paul Ward, Jabir Malik, Poetra Asantewa and Ndukwe Onuoha.

Performer Collective Cher Lessons on How to Survive an Apocalypse 

“The only things to survive the apocalypse will be Cher and cockroaches” 

I Need to Cher are a collective of performers united by one thing – their love of Cher. Following their humble roots as a DIY club night in 2017, the circus, drag, comedy, dance and wrestling acts have stormed Latitude festival and had a successful run at Camden People’s Theatre.   

How to Survive the Cherpocalypse has undergone some revisions since it was first submitted to the Space for a run this Spring. Space Director, Adam Hemming explains, ‘We loved the sound of this and how a message of hope in dark times can come from unexpected quarters. When the actual apocalypse (or close to it) hit us, we asked I Need to Cher to come up with an online version of the show for our Locked Down, Looking Up ACE-funded programme. They came up with The Cherona Edit which was a brilliant way of bringing the show to our online audiences.’ 

The version presented at the Space will feature one Cher on stage with numerous others broadcasting into the venue. 

How does Cher remain so ageless and incredible? What wisdom can she bestow that will help us survive the next seven decades? The masterminds behind I Need to Cher, the world’s only feminist Cher-based cabaret collective are here to help you survive the Cherpocalypse. 

Join Cher* in her #Malibunker as she takes you through the story of her life, offering five key tips on how to live forever. Cher will prep you for believing in life after lockdown and working well into your 70s. Expect broadcasts from London’s finest performers; socially distanced audience participation – as well as an informative 75 slide presentation about Cher from Cher herself. 

You will leave strong enough to face anything that 2020 will throw at you. 

*For logistical reasons Cher will be represented by lovingly crafted Cher tribute acts 

View the trailer for How to Survive the Cherpocalypse  at https://space.org.uk/event/how-to-survive-the-cherpocalypse/ 

The performance details are:- 

 
How to Survive the Cherpocalypse 

23^rd-24^th October, 7:30pm 
Everyone knows the only thing left after the apocalypse will be cockroaches and Cher. But Why? Join Cher as she offers her life lessons on how to ensure your survival. 

The performance on 24^th October is also available via livestream.  
For more information, contact Adam Hemming at [email protected]