Theatre Royal Stratford East today announces three new productions for their 2022 spring/summer season, with the season now set to feature five new shows. The latest addition to the season include:
- Burn It Down (19 April – 5 May 2022): A series of six newly commissioned script-in-hand performances about urgent political issues. Each piece will be a stand-alone scrutiny, calling out injustice and interrogating the systems that wield power.
- Ballet Black: Double Bill (11 – 21 May 2022): The first is a piece for the full company by acclaimed South African choreographer Gregory Maqoma (Vuyani Dance Theatre), featuring an original score by Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante (Boy Blue). The second ballet on the bill is directed by Ballet Black’s Founder and Artistic Director, Cassa Pancho, featuring choreography created by her and the Company. The piece explores the struggles and inspiration behind the formation of this award-winning company twenty years ago, through a series of vignettes.
- Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World (15 Jun – 17 Jul 2022): Celebrated dramatist Chris Bush (Standing at the Sky’s Edge) and Number 1 hit songwriter Miranda Cooper (Girls Aloud, Kylie Minogue) adapt suffragette descendent Kate Pankhurst’s award-winning picture book with music by Miranda Cooper and Jennifer Decilveo (Miley Cyrus, Beth Ditto).
Speaking about her new season at Theatre Royal Stratford East, Artistic Director Nadia Fall said:
“Listening to our audiences there has been a huge appetite for congregation and debate around the most urgent political and social issues affecting all our lives. Burn it Down is very much a response to that: short, sharp, dramas from some of the most talented writers of the moment. I’m expecting lively conversations in the bar post show.
Alongside that we have all felt the need to be uplifted and entertained. The beautiful and ever popular work of Ballet Black and the absolute knock out new musical Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World are a total antidote to drudgery, and I defy anyone not to leave on a cloud.
After The End is a masterclass in storytelling, with dazzlingly dark twists and turns, it’s pure theatre. This season is designed to be electric and life affirming, there is nothing softly softly about it.”
Previously announced spring/summer productions include:
- After the End (25 Feb – 26 March 2022): Dennis Kelly’s bitingly dark comedy will launch the spring/summer season with a new production by director Lyndsey Turner. The resilience of colleagues Mark and Louise is put to the test when they find themselves in a fallout shelter following a nuclear attack with only two weeks of supplies.
- SLAMbition (30 March 2022): A brand-new monologue slam-style competition putting a spotlight on the incredible range of Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent talent that exists in the arts. In association with Ramps on the Moon, Artists will perform two monologues in front of an invited audience of leading industry creatives including directors, casting agents and casting directors as well as the chance to win an exciting package of prizes. Deadline for applications has been extended to Saturday 29 January. A video introduction to SLAMbition by Tabby Lamb, with captions and BSL can be found here:www.stratfordeast.com/whats-on/all-shows/slambition.
Theatre Royal Stratford East has been a historic producing house in the heart of London’s East End since 1884. It has spearheaded diverse work and championed often marginalised stories on its stage with many leading actors, writers and directors featuring in their story including Meera Syal, Barbara Windsor, Don Warrington, Indhu Rubasingham, Tanika Gupta, Roy Williams and Cynthia Erivo.
Tickets for the spring/summer season are now on sale here.
