Pump House Theatre And Arts Trust Ltd Watford

TALKING ABOUT A REVOLUTION: tiata fahodzi’s triple-bill tours to Watford Fringe, Lyric Hammersmith and Bristol Old Vic this October

TICKETS: https://www.tiatafahodzi.com/talkingaboutarevolution

- A triple-bill of explosive, half-hour world premieres by writers Diana Nneka Atuona, babirye bukilwa and Malaika Kegode.
- Cast includes Unique Spencer, Ivan Oyik, Chloe Lemonious and Haina Al-Saud
- Project marks tiata fahodzi’s 25th Anniversary: ‘The Year of the Artist’
- Co-directed by tiata fahodzi’s Artistic Director Chinonyerem Odimba and Campbell X

The last three years have been turbulent, traumatic, and terrorising globally. So, when are we taking to the streets?

Marking their 25th Anniversary, British African heritage contemporary theatre company tiata fahodzi presents three back-to-back half-hour world premieres, with the provocation to the three writers being ‘What would a revolution look like in 2022?’.

The project marks the company’s newest initiative of asking artists to respond to a provocation in writing short plays that are then staged as quickly as possible in order to comment on the current moment. These ‘happenings’ are honest, raw and ready.

Today tiata fahodzi announces the full cast: Unique Spencer (Top Boy, Losing it), Ivan Oyik (Shook, Doctors), Chloe Lemonious and Haina Al-Saud.


Co-directed by tiata fahodzi’s Artistic Director Chinonyerem Odimba (Black Love, Medea) and Campbell X (Stud Life, My White Best Friend), the triple-bill will tour to Watford Pumphouse Theatre, the Lyric Hammersmith’s studio and Bristol Old Vic’s Weston Studio space this October.


Notes to Editors:

Listings:

06 – 07 October: The Watford Pumphouse Theatre as part of Watford Fringe, 7.30pm.
13 – 15 October: Lyric Hammersmith, Studio, 8pm.
19 – 22 October: Bristol Old Vic, The Weston Studio, 8pm.

About tiata fahodzi

The UK’s leading British African heritage contemporary theatre company, tiata fahodzi produces theatre that is fearless for a Britain of today; rich with languages, races, cultures and identities. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, tiata fahodzi presents a new season of creative initiatives, appointments and productions designed to support and invest in the future of Black British artists.

Founded in September 1997 by playwright and director Femi Elufowoju Jr and now under the direction of its fourth Artistic Director, playwright and director, Chinonyerem Odimba, this milestone year named ‘Year of the Artist’ marks the beginning of a new chapter in the Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation’s history.

About Chinonyerem Odimba:

Chinonyerem is a Nigerian British playwright, screenwriter, and poet. Her recent work ranges from Black Love at Kiln Theatre, Medea at Bristol Old Vic, We Too, Are Giants for Kiln Theatre, Unknown Rivers at Hampstead Theatre, Prince and the Pauper at Watermill Theatre, The Seven Ages of Patience at Kiln Theatre, and Princess & The Hustler which toured across the UK for Eclipse Theatre/Bristol Old Vic/Hull Truck.

?Her work has been shortlisted for several awards including the Adrienne Benham and Alfred Fagon awards. In 2015 her unproduced play Wild is De Wind was shortlisted to the final ten for the Bruntwood Playwriting Award. She is the winner for the 2018 Sonia Friedman Award (Channel 4 Playwright Bursary) for a new play How to Walk on the Moon, and a finalist for the inaugural Women’s Prize for Playwriting 2020 for her play Paradise Street.

As a director, Chino has worked for Bristol Old Vic, Theatre503 and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Over by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm which will open at New Wolseley Theatre in Feb 2022. She is Chair of Trustees at Theatre Bristol, a Trustee on the board at Bristol Old Vic and part of Freelancers Make Theatre Work collective.

About Campbell X

Campbell X is a writer/director who directed the award-winning queer urban romantic comedy feature film STUD LIFE. His film Stud Life was voted by the Guardian as one of the top 10 Black British feature films ever made. It was also in Vogue magazine as one of the best films to watch in 2020. Stud Life was also selected by the British Film Institute as one of the top 8 queer films to view in 2021. Campbell was one of the writers at the Royal Court for My White Best Friend theatre series.

Campbell's latest film Still We Thrive about Black joy and resistance, is now screening globally in film festivals. He directed and produced the short film DES!RE about joy and sensuality for men (trans and non-binary) and masculine women ie studs/butches and the documentary VISIBLE about reclaiming QTBIPOC UK history.

Campbell has just wrapped on his second feature Low Rider which was filmed in the Western Cape region of South Africa starring Emma Mcdonald and Thishiwe Ziqubu.

About Diana Nneka Atuona

Diana is a British born, Nigerian writer from Peckham, South London. Her first play, Liberian Girl, won the Alfred Fagon Award in 2013, in January 2015, it received its full production at the Royal Court Theatre, where it received critical acclaim and was nominated for an Evening Standard Theatre Award. Diana won the 50th George Devine Award for Most Promising Playwright in 2019, for The Boy From Tiger Bay, which is being developed at The Donmar Warehouse. She is also the recipient of the Roland Rees Bursary 2021, as part of the Alfred Fagon Award. She is under commission with the Royal Court and the Old Vic

About babirye bukilwa

babirye is an actor, model, poet and writer born and raised in pre-gentrified Bethnal Green. They are currently based in London. babirye’s debut play … Blackbird Hour was shortlisted for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting in 2019, The inaugural Women’s Prize for Playwriting 2020 and The Alfred Fagon award 2020. Their second play … Cake, an origin story to … Blackbird Hour debuted at Theatre Peckham in 2021 directed by malakai sargeant (they/them) to critical acclaim including an Off Westend nomination for best production of 2021 and another nomination for best play of the year by the Alfred Fagon award 2021.

About Malaika Kegode.

Malaika Kegode is an award-winning writer and performer based in Bristol. Beginning her arts career as a performance poet in 2014, Malaika has since developed her practice to encompass theatre, radio and film writing. Her autobiographical gig-theatre show Outlier debuted on Bristol Old Vic’s main stage in 2021. Malaika’s narrative work has also been featured on BBC Radio 4, and her poetry collections Requite and Thalassic are published by Burning Eye Books.

About The Pumphouse, Watford:

The Watford Pump House Theatre and Arts Centre has been running for nearly 50 years. They’re a hub for emerging talent and an active leader in Watford’s cultural development. In the first half of 2020 before Covid forced them to stop our face to face activity, they had over 20,000 people from all ages and backgrounds step over the threshold to either entertain or be entertained.

About The Lyric Hammersmith:

The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre is a UK leading producing theatre, creating world class theatre from the heart of Hammersmith, London, its home for more than 125 years.

Acclaimed works include debuts of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party and Michael Frayn’s Noises Off, the Olivier Award-winning revival of Sarah Kane’s Blasted, the triumphant Bugsy Malone, the international cult hit Ghost Stories and most recently the lauded adaptation of A Doll’s House by Tanika Gupta.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director and CEO Rachel O’Riordan, the Lyric’s programme of reimagined classics, contemporary plays and bold new works celebrates its unique Matcham theatre.

They are West London’s largest creative hub and home to an innovative partnership of arts organisations. Together they are committed to nurture the next generation of talent from all backgrounds, providing necessary and accessible life-changing creative opportunities for thousands of young West Londoners.

About Bristol Old Vic:

Bristol Old Vic is the longest continuously running theatre in the UK and celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2016. The historic playhouse aims to inspire audiences with its own original productions, both at home and on tour, whilst nurturing the next generation of artists, whether that be through their 350-strong Young Company, their many outreach and education projects or their trailblazing artist development programme, Bristol Ferment.

They prioritise their public funding to support experiment and innovation, to allow access to their programme for people who would not otherwise encounter it, or be able to afford it, and to keep their extraordinary heritage alive and animated.

Bristol Old Vic’s 2018 redevelopment transformed its front of house into a warm and welcoming space for all of Bristol to enjoy, created a new studio theatre and opened up its unique theatrical heritage to the public for the first time.


Since the March 2020 lockdown, the theatre completely reimagined a digital version of itself; experimented with streamed performances available globally, maintained links with their most vulnerable participants and welcomed live audiences during the moments when restrictions were lifted. Now, once again, Bristol Old Vic is thrilled to be able to throw open its doors and welcome back audiences both physically and digitally as it looks towards the future.


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