The Bush Theatre today announces its first season of work under Artistic Director and Co-CEO Taio Lawson and Interim Executive Director and Co-CEO Angela Wachner. It promises new work from the UK and beyond, and partnerships with a host of exciting theatre companies, alongside ongoing initiatives in community engagement and talent development. The Bush is renowned as the place to discover the best in new voices and new work, and continues to champion artists, risk-takers and form-forgers in its new season.
Taio Lawson said, ‘It’s a genuinely heady experience to announce a first season of work at the Bush, which aims to broaden the impact of the work we produce, the scope of conversations we have, and the theatre makers with whom we collaborate. In doing so, this season is our first intentional step of blasting open the door to the future of our art form and our relationship with the world around us. Each production, whether it’s in our Studio or Holloway Theatre, is the manifestation of great creative minds merging to give the best theatrical experience possible. We hope to enliven both the hearts and minds of our audiences, with feelings that linger and memories that endure. I’m excited to open our venue to creatives with a real-world view, whether based in the UK or further afield, and to involve companies including Actors Touring Company, New Earth Theatre, and Stand and Be Counted, as we share a vision of theatre that sparks a fire in the imagination, in bold and entertaining ways. This is the start of us, in our own way, transforming, disrupting and exploring what theatre can be.’
New shows announced today are Darkling, a co-production with Actors Touring Company, who will lead a national tour visiting Birmingham, Oxford, and Manchester after its London run; The Bridge, Alaa Shehada’s follow up to The Scotsman Fringe-First winning The Horse of Jenin, Global Majority from Tony Craze award winner Chris Fung and director Rupert Hands; and the return of last year’s sold-out success, Insane Asylum Seekers, another Studio hit making its way to the theatre’s main stage as part of the Bush’s commitment to supporting ongoing artistic development.
In the Studio, the Bush will present Olivier Award nominee Mei Mac in The Hungry Ghost, a production from New Earth Theatre, ATTENTION, direct from a celebrated run at Dublin Fringe, and Ripples from the UK’s first Theatre Company of Sanctuary, Stand and Be Counted.
The Bush Theatre has appointed a new literary team to support the Bush’s programming, curate artist development programmes and lead on script development and production dramaturgy. Olivia Poglio-Nwabali, previously Associate Dramaturge at the Young Vic, joins as Literary Manager and Lead Dramaturge, with Frey Kwa Hawking as Associate Dramaturge. They will be relaunching the Bush’s unsolicited script submissions process this summer.
Two freelance Directors have joined the Bush team to oversee the direction of Bush Young Company (BYC). Bashiie Baptiste will oversee the 14 – 17 age group, and Amber Ruby the 18 – 25 age group. BYC’s productions have played a major role in Bush programming over the past five years, taking over the main Holloway stage each summer and continuing the theatre’s commitment to developing talent for the arts and entertainment industries. This summer, the 18-25 BYC presents Before We Forget, devised by the company and directed by Amber Ruby.