Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF), London's leading festival of outdoor theatre and performing arts, today announces the full programme for the 2019 festival, running from 21 June - 6 July in locations across Royal Greenwich, East London and, for the first time, the City of London. This year, the annual free outdoor festival features more than 130 performances and 15 UK premieres, and includes opening and closing ceremonies in celebration of the spirit of the people and places in which these two major events will take place.
Following in the footsteps of a successful Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2018 run, Antosh Wojcik's mesmeric display of live drumming and spoken word returns for a UK tour. As poems becomes beats, and beats become glitches in time, Antosh's debut stage show tells the moving story of his Polish grandfather's struggle against vascular dementia and the effect it had on the people around them. Using just his voice and a Roland TD-4KP electric drumkit, Antosh attempts to humanise memory loss through assigning rhythms to family members.
Talawa Theatre Company today launches MAKE Online: an online community that exists to give Black British theatre artists ownership and agency of their careers. Created by Talawa, the UK's primary Black-led theatre company, MAKE Online will provide a dedicated virtual space for artists at all stages of their careers to encounter each other and to change the shape of British theatre. The platform will be available to artists across the UK. There will also be a space for members of the theatre industry to join and post jobs, commissions, opportunities, castings and more.
Kiln Theatre today announces the return of Mapping Brent for its third consecutive year. This 10-day youth theatre festival will see Kiln Theatre work alongside community venues across Brent as well as welcoming young people back to the building
Jane Fallowfield has been appointed as the new Literary Manager for the Royal Court Theatre. Jane, who is currently Literary Associate at Talawa Theatre, will join the theatre in April 2019.
Fly The Flag is a major new project marking the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In a unique collaboration, a wide-ranging group of arts organisations and human rights charities commissioned Ai Weiwei to design a new flag in response to the real and present dangers of a world changing at break-neck speed, to offer hope and to educate generations to come about the absolute importance of universal human rights.
Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF), London's leading festival of outdoor theatre and performing arts, today announces highlights of the 2019 festival, running from 21 June - 6 July in locations across Royal Greenwich, East London and, for the first time, the City of London.
Casting has been announced for Nancy Medina's forthcoming production of Inua Ellams' new play The Half-God of Rainfall. Rakie Ayola (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) will play Modupe, mother to her half-god son Demi who will be played by Kwami Odoom (Barber Shop Chronicles). This world premiere production will be directed by Nancy Medina, designed by Max Johns, with movement direction by Imogen Knight, sound design by Tanuja Amarasuriya, lighting design by Jackie Shemesh and casting by Briony Barnett.
Talawa Theatre Company is to take up residence within the redeveloped Fairfield Halls in Croydon, giving the UK's primary Black theatre company a 200 seat studio and offices. This will be the first time since 1995 that Talawa's headquarters will feature an on-site performance space. The new spaces, opening to the public on 16 September 2019, will operate as a central hub for Black artists, develop a community outreach programme, and allow the company to create, develop and premiere new work.
Tara Arts and Polka Theatre have today announced that their co-production of Three Sat Under The Banyan Tree is set to head on a UK tour from 20th January - 2nd March 2019. The production originally played at The Polka Theatre in September 2018.
Superhoe marks Nicole Lecky's debut at the Royal Court Theatre in the venue's first collaboration with Talawa Theatre Company. Written and performed by the actress, the monologue sees 24-year-old Sasha taking one wrong turn after the next.
Artistic Director of the Young Vic, Kwame Kwei-Armah, today announces the full cast for Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, a co-production with Elliott & Harper Productions and Cindy Tolan.
The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize has announced 10 Finalists for its prestigious playwriting Award, the oldest and largest prize awarded to women playwrights.
Boundless Theatre and Script Club today announce that Josh Tucker will play the role of Liam in Tom Wells and Matthew Robins' Drip, as it embarks on a new 2019 tour following its recent run at Bush Theatre. Directed by Jane Fallowfield, the production tours to The Lowry, Salford; Customs House, South Shields; Curve, Leicester as part of #DMUpride festival; North Wall, Oxford; The Coliseum, Oldham; Slung Low, Leeds; New Wolsey, Ipswich; Nonsuch Studios, Nottingham; Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal; Phoenix Arts, Hampshire; Harrogate Theatre; Cast, Doncaster; LIVE, Newcastle; and Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough.
Nicole Lecky makes her Royal Court writing and performing debut with new play Superhoe, a co-production with Talawa Theatre Company with direction from Jade Lewis. The production runs in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs Wednesday 30 January 2019 to Saturday 16 February 2019 with a press performance at 7pm Monday 4 February 2019.
Tara Arts and Polka Theatre have today announced that their co-production of Three Sat Under The Banyan Tree is set to head on a UK tour from 20th January - 2nd March 2019. The production originally played at The Polka Theatre in September 2018.
Camden People's Theatre is set to turn 25 in 2019, celebrating its trailblazing beginnings with a jam-packed programme championing new work, amplifying diverse voices and unearthing local stories. A stalwart of the London independent theatre scene since 1994, CPT has been the birthplace of some of the country's most exciting experimental theatre, supporting artists and companies from Chris Goode to shunt and will continue to pave a way for bold new voices.
