Graeae Launches New Writing Festival This Month

With the aim of fostering inclusivity and dialogue around new writing in the UK and highlighting the invaluable contributions made by Deaf, Disabled and neurodivergent playwrights to new work, this January Graeae, the UK’s national theatre for Disabled people, is to host an inclusive New Writing Festival. The two day event will showcase the incredible diversity of storytelling within the Disabled writing community and offer accessible networking opportunities for all attendees, in order to serve as a vital platform for exchanging ideas, stories, and experiences and enriching an understanding of diverse narratives in the arts .

Taking place over the weekend of 25 and 26 January at Richmix in East London, the festival will include rehearsed readings of full-length plays by talented playwrights Olivier Award Nominee Shahid Iqbal Khan and Lettie Precious, directed by Kate Lovell and Milli Bhatia (seven methods of killing Kylie Jenner). In addition, we will showcase specially commissioned short plays from emerging voices Jesse Stone, Madeleine Farnhill, and Jordon Grant, directed by Graeae’s Artistic Director Jenny Sealey OBE and former Associate Director Nickie Miles-Wildin. The event will feature a host of performers including Jamael Westman (Hamilton – West End), Alexandra James (Sex Education), Arian Nik (Count Abdulla and Daddy Issues), and Mark Lockyer (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) . 

In addition to the readings, there will also be thought-provoking panel discussions with influential voices from the industry including Stephanie Bain (Head of Programming and Literary at Almeida Theatre), Rachael Young (multidisciplinary artist), Robert Awosusi (New Work Associate at Talawa, director, writer, and dramaturg) and Nicola Werenowska (playwright).

Jenny Sealey says: “Graeae has worked with new writing for over 40 years and it is the life blood of the company’s work. This  festival is a testimony to and a celebration of the skill of our Deaf, Disabled and neurodivergent writers we have developed through our Write to Play programme and a case for new writing to remain at the helm of the theatre world.”

Other actors taking part in the rehearsed readings and short plays will include Shaheen Khan, Siobhan Athwal, Shazia Nicholls, Halema Hussain, Seda Yildiz, Usaamah Hussain, E.M Williams, Chris Fonseca, Raymond Shaahu, Clare Almond and Danielle James.