New Earth Theatre has announced Twisted Roots Festival, a bold new initiative showcasing the work of artists from its 30th Anniversary Seedfund Artists Incubator programme.
The festival will run across two venues this September—Bush Theatre on 3–4 September and Sheffield Theatres on 9–10 September—spotlighting British East and Southeast Asian (BESEA) artists who blend western theatre with ESEA artforms such as Filipino dance, Rakugo comedy, and Chinese street puppetry.
Artistic Director Ailin Conant said, “Twisted Roots was created in direct response to feedback from our artists that they feel stuck between a rock and a hard place when bringing their diaspora cultures into their work. They are usually invited to ‘integrate’ into existing British theatre which is stripped of BESEA cultural specificity on the one hand, or to present fetishised and archaic ideas of ESEA ‘authenticity’ which deny their contemporary lived experience as Britons on the other. Through Twisted Roots, our incredible artists are bringing 10 exciting new projects grounded in experimentation, innovation, and celebration of our multifaceted cultures as BESEA heritage artists.”
The festival features a diverse line-up of work-in-progress performances:
Bush Theatre (3–4 September)
- MAHSURI by Alisha + Alysha
A Malaysian-born collective exploring body politics and colonialism through augmented reality, AI, and experimental theatre. - Drifting 漂浮 by Phoebe Chan
A Taiwanese-Australian artist blending movement and technology to explore bicultural identity. - AHMA AND LOUISE by Jasmine Teo
A writer and director with credits including These Demons and The Sound of Music (Chichester Festival Theatre). - AKUTAGAWA by Aya Nakamura
A Japanese puppeteer and theatre-maker known for her work with Coldplay and Rouge28Theatre. - DRAGON BOIZ
A five-piece ESEA cabaret and striptease supergroup formed from the Bitten Peach collective.
Sheffield Theatres (9–10 September)
- PAMANA by Grace Waga Glevey, Yanni Ng, and Haley Yiu
A collaborative piece exploring identity, climate crisis, and immigrant perspectives. - NOT THAT ASIAN by Lumen Hirata Smith, Isabella So, and Georgia Murphy
A multidisciplinary performance tackling intersectional identity and community through comedy and movement.
The Seedfund Artists Incubator is a collaboration between New Earth Theatre and seven partner venues, offering funding, rehearsal space, mentorship, and industry support to emerging BESEA artists.
Listings and ticket information can be found here for Bush Theatre and here for Sheffield Theatres.
