Returning after a sell-out run at the Roundhouse in 2018, nine femmes of colour come together to tell the stories of the unseen and the unheard, tackling issues across race, sexuality and mental health in a riotous, high-octane performance in Hive City Legacy.
Last year Hot Brown Honey’s Busty Beatz and Lisa Fa’alafi teamed up with the Roundhouse, along with hip hop artist Yami ‘Rowdy’ Löfvenberg to scour London and bring together an extraordinary league of Femmes of Colour. With over 250 applications for the paid opportunity, a company of artists (aged 18 – 25) mobilised for the first time with skills ranging across circus, beatboxing, spoken word, cabaret, dance and everything in between. Hive City Legacy burst onto the Roundhouse stage for a sell-out two weeks. This summer and autumn they return to Activate, Liberate and Pollinate London, Manchester, Cardiff, as well as creating a new show in Rio de Janeiro. World decolonisation is on the horizon: Make way for the Matriarchy!
October 2019, will see the Roundhouse partner with the Tempo Festival – the International Festival of Performing Arts, Rio de Janeiro Brazil. With the support of the British Council’s Pontes Oi Futuro Program, a two-week residency will bring together a group of local Femmes of Colour to deliver a brand new Hive City Legacy about their city and their experiences.
Hot Brown Honey are a fierce collective of Femmes of Colour from Australia with global First Nations heritages. Led by Busty Beatz – Musical Director, composer, sound designer and Queen Bee, and Lisa Fa’alafi -director, designer, choreographer and performer, the company are in the midst of their world pollination tour, smashing stereotypes in Canada, USA, New Zealand and at home in Australia. As the creators of Hive City Legacy, Lisa and Busty return to London to work with this extraordinary league of Femmes.
Lisa Fa’alafi said, “We are so excited to return to London to kick back into Hive City Legacy mode again! We felt privileged to be a part of bringing these superhero Femmes stories to the stage and having the chance to not only have a return season but a tour for these important stories ensures our work to decolonise one stage at a time continues. That’s right it time to Activate, Pollinate and Liberate and you are all invited to be a part of shifting the paradigm where POC stories push through to the front and shine brightly for all to see.”
The Roundhouse are known for nurturing performers in the early stages of their careers, providing a net of support that ranges from creative projects across music, circus, theatre and digital, to providing rehearsal space, financial support and mentoring from established professionals.
Hive City Legacy is at Roundhouse 15th – 30th July 2019.
