Lemn Sissay News

Taking place in the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, the event will address the climate emergency, and features guests including Glenda Jackson, Lemn Sissay OBE, Dr. Helen Czerski and Kiran Landa. The event is free to attend and will begin at 6pm.

This year's festival, which is one of the longest-running annual literature events in the country, takes place from 6-20 November with a packed programme of visiting poets, writers, broadcasters, wordsmiths and actors. 

Manchester International Festival (MIF), returns with a vibrant programme of original new work from across the spectrum of visual and performing arts and music by artists from over 20 countries.

The 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours have been announced. Among this year's honorees are some theatrical luminaries, as well as influential figures in the worlds of dance, music, literature, and more. 

From Jeff Whitty, the creator of Avenue Q, and the Scissor Sister's Jake Shears and John Garden comes ARMISTEAD MAUPIN'S TALES OF THE CITY, THE MUSICAL based on Armistead Maupin's landmark series of novels about San Francisco in the 70s. The presentation is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the premiere musical staging at San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater in 2011.

Drawing more from her wide-ranging reading list than her favourite bands, Laura deals with the gruelling emotional matters of 21st-century life with honesty, grace and warmth, referencing Ursula Le Guin, Barbara Kingsolver, Kurt Vonnegut, Margaret Atwood and Mark Westmoquette along the way.

Featuring a range of artforms and practitioners, the programme represents the culmination of months of planning and preparation. Alongside the live work, McGrath has announced a permanent addition to the Fuel rosta - Fuel Digital. A place where digital streams of new and existing work are presented through Fuel's own web platform. 

“’I’ll Start A Fire’ was the first of two songs I wrote in September 2020 that jostled for a space on the record (the second was ‘Black Car’), and I’m so glad they did,” recalls Laura.

Music, comedy, theatre and vogueing will feature at Homeground, HOME's temporary outdoor arts venue, this Summer, with a diverse lineup truly providing something for everyone, while the size of the 80,000 sq ft site means a great atmosphere no matter what social distancing regulations are necessary.

Battersea Arts Centre today announces a season of new work (April to July 2021) which explores fresh ways of living differently and sharing experiences. After a year of continual change and rapid adaptation, Wild Times brings together some of the UK's most exciting creative voices to reimagine the future together.

Sparked by a throwaway phrase from Margaret Atwood's ‘The Handmaid's Tale’, ‘Exotic Monsters’ is a laundry list of asynchronous human needs and desires; a reflection of our increasingly confused, disconnected and polarised lives.

Revised tour dates have been announced for The Greatest Play in the History of the World… starring multi-award winning, BAFTA nominated actress Julie Hesmondhalgh. The play, which had been due to open at Hull Truck Theatre on Friday 29 January & tour until Saturday 20 March is now planned to open on Friday 7 May & tour until Saturday 3 July 2021.

Audiences will be given the opportunity to return to the newly refurbished New Vic Theatre and revisit pieces from its critically acclaimed 2015 Staffordshire Hoard Festival in Hoard: Rediscovered, screened at the theatre as part of its Housewarming Season this November.

Fane has announced their first in-person live event since March 2020 'An Evening With Elizabeth Day' - learn how to get tickets.

Greenwich+Docklands International Festival today announces the line-ups for two special ceremonies planned in tribute to the NHS, which take place on the opening weekend of the 25th annual festival, at the site of Luke Jerram's In Memoriam on Woolwich Common.

Nine leading UK poets have teamed up with Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre to present three short films showcasing their work.

Following on from their 2018 Space Shambles, the Cosmic Shambles Network was due to make a return to the Royal Albert Hall for Sea Shambles a?' a celebration of the Blue Planet by way of science, music, and comedy. Instead, a re-jigged version took place as part of the Stay At Home Festival this weekend; a blue whale-like show of around three-and-a-half hours, an exceptional range of contributors were featured, including the likes of Lemn Sissay, Dr Helen Scales, Josie Long, and (naturally) Prof Brian Cox.

With the live version of Sea Shambles sadly unable to go ahead, it's time to bring a rejigged version of the show direct to you on the same date and time. With that in mind, The Cosmic Shambles Network has announced the incredible list of guests who are now onboard for the show.

MIF LIVE, Manchester International Festival's free online programme for audiences at home, continues this week with Re:Creating Europe, an exploration of Europe through the words that have defined its history, directed by prolific theatre director Ivo van Hove.

The acclaimed British and Ethiopian poet, playwright, broadcaster and speaker, Lemn Sissay MBE has been announced as the twelfth Brighton Festival Guest Director, following in the footsteps of Rokia Traoré (2019), David Shrigley (2018), Kate Tempest (2017) and Laurie Anderson (2016) amongst others.