2019 is a significant year for Ovalhouse as it marks their final year programming theatre in their current home, before an exciting nine months, staging performances in unusual locations, prior to moving into their new space in Brixton. Ovalhouse’s Spring Season 2019 presents two full length shows and five FiRST BiTES as their theme of care and, most importantly, survival is further explored to strengthen the theatre’s important principles of nurturing emerging artists.
Kicking off the season with Rhiannon Faith’s Smack That (a conversation), Ovalhouse will transform the theatre into a giant house party, complete with cider and popcorn. But, this is no ordinary party. The powerful production is a very raw and honest account of domestic abuse, performed by a mixed cast of professional dancers and domestic abuse survivors. As part of this production, Ovalhouse will become a J9 venue, supporting women in our community who experience domestic abuse; this unusual setting creates a safe space for them to share the challenges they have faced and celebrate their endurance with the audience.
Following its premiere earlier this year and Off-West End nomination for Best Production for Young People, the incredible digitally-animated Random Selfies by Olivier Award-winning playwright Mike Kenny will return for a three-week run. Directed by Owen Calvert-Lyons, Ovalhouse’s Head of Theatre & Artist Development, this play explores child loneliness while bringing to life the vivid imagination of ten-year-old Loretta; a lonely girl in a busy world.
As ever, Ovalhouse’s FiRST BiTE programme is packed full of bright ideas and powerful personal
stories. Richard Stamp tells the story of his tumultuous six-months of diagnosis to amputation in Dick. Coco Mbassi teaches us the power of music in Haendel on the Estate, while Sherine Chalhie stages her semi-autobiographical tale Hijabi Matters.
Additionally, Ovalhouse welcome back Pecho Mama with a work-in-progress showing of their new show Divine Intervention – an electrifying gig-theatre production telling the story of two broken people and their search for salvation. And, Koko Brown will work together with Ovalhouse’s new Associate Artist Joana Nastari to create Amazonian Sweat Lodge, exploring the consumerism and faux spiritualism in a new collaboration with CASA.
Owen Calvert-Lyons, Ovalhouse’s Head of Theatre & Artist Development, comments, We are delighted to be bringing Rhiannon Faith’s Smack That to Ovalhouse this spring. This is a really important production exploring the impact of domestic abuse against people. The show celebrates what it means to survive. As part of this process, we are training all our staff in order for Ovalhouse to become a J9 venue; supporting people in our community who experience domestic abuse. Mike Kenny’s Random Selfies makes a welcome return after the success of its run last year which saw the show nominated for Best Production for Young People. We are also announcing our brilliant new Associate Artists: Joana Nastari, Xana and The Thelmas. These three artists will work with us over the next two years, beginning with Jo Nastari’s latest production Amazonian Sweat Lodge which questions society’s fascination with consumerism and faux spirituality. These are all extraordinary artists and I can’t wait to introduce our audiences to their work.
