It’s time to get your diaries out and start making plans for Spring (yes already), as the Royal Court Theatre has announced a spectacular season of events. Featuring unmissable shows, unique immersive experiences and beautiful music, the sheer variety on offer means there’s something for everyone.
Here’s a quick round-up of what to expect:
Music:
The State Between Us
Matthew Herbert’s Big Band of British and European musicians are teaming up with a large community choir to perform two shows on the 29 March. Part of Matthew’s album launch, which saw him work with over 1,000 musicians and singers from across the EU, the show coincides with the day the UK is due to leave the EU.
Contemplating what it means to be British now, The State Between Us began as a reaction to Article 50 and the repercussions across the nation, with its constantly changing news cycle.
The Song Project
Nine leading artists come together for an intimate concert over four evenings. Part of a wider project, over the next few months writers and performers will develop work that’s been ongoing since they first met in January for just a day of talking. Since that day they’ve taken their conversations and turned them into lyrics, melody and visual performance.
Created by Chloe Lamford, Wende, Isobel Waller-Bridge and Imogen Knight, words come from .V. Crowe, Sabrina Mahfouz, Somalia Seaton, Stef Smith and Debris Stevenson.
The Song Project will take place between 12 – 15 June 2019.
Experiences:
Dismantle This Room
Who doesn’t love an escape room? A unique take on a classic activity, this immersive escape-the-room experience gives participants an hour to work together. Interrogating the established power structures in theatre, which route of attack would you pick, and how far are you willing to go?
And there are decisions to be made before you even enter the room. As the narrative is an experiment around power and privilege, Dismantle This Room asks all participants to pay the price that they feel corresponds to their own level of privilege they’d measure that.
Co-created by Milli Bhatia, Ingrid Marvin and Nina Segal, Dismantle This Room will run between 6 – 27 April 2019.
Passages: A Windrush Celebration
It’s been 70 years since the passenger liner V Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks, Essex. In response to the recent Windrush scandal, there will be a day of food, music, performances and panel discussions. There will also be the premiere screening of Passages: Seven Films for Seven Decades, which was commissioned by the Royal Court Theatre. All events in the Windrush celebration will be free, although booking will be required for any screenings or workshops.
The events happening as part of the celebration includes:
- Windrush: A Playwriting Workshop (suitable for all levels)
- Film screenings
- Levi Roots’ Cooking Seminar
- A Tribute to Louise Bennett-Coverley aka ‘Miss Lou’
- Windrush Panel Debate
- Royal Court Caribbean Kitchen Takeover
- Notting Hill Carnival costume display
- Installations
- Live reggae band and guest DJ into the evening.
Passages: A Windrush Celebration will take place on 13 April 2019.
Conversation:
The Relay
A durational day-long conversation between feminists with differing points of view, The Relay is a series of one-to-one interviews and provocations.
Led by acclaimed writers Diana Damien Martin, and Mary Paterson, the show is presented for their collaborative project, The Department of Feminist Conversations.
Each daylong conversation begins the same way; a guest invites a guest, who invites a guest, and so it goes on, with the audience helping to shape the conversation along the way. Each guest chooses a speaker they would like to talk to, but would not otherwise be able to – creating a chain of unexpected conversations and new opinions. There will be fifteen speakers and ten provocations over the two-day programme.
More information on all of the Royal Court Theatre’s Spring events can be found on their official website.