Come Through

Produced by Tamasha in partnership with Birmingham Hippodrome and Theatro Technis @ 26 Crowndale

Welcome to the very first, COME THROUGH – a festival by artists for artists and audiences! 

We’re shaking things up this year in the scratch world and for the first time ever, we’re showcasing ten brand new extracts (10-15 minutes each) created by the members of our recent playwrights and directors programmes. The festival will take place over two weekends in a festival comprising of new writing, workshops, panel discussions and networking opportunities galore. 

During their time on the programme, our Tamasha Playwrights have worked with facilitators, Iman Qureshi and Satinder Chohan, to write ten brand new pieces that cover themes and genres from revenge to comedy, from spirituality to cancel culture and so much more… 

Each script-in-hand performances will be directed by one of our Tamasha Directors, forming a very exciting and one hell of a collaboration, never been seen on stage – until now!  

Alongside the opportunity to see tomorrow’s hit plays, the festival will also feature workshops by industry professionals, Q&A’s and networking sessions for aspiring and early career global majority artists. 

Scroll down to see what we have planned for our weekend in London (12-13 November) at Theatro Technis @ 26 Crowndale.

WORKSHOP

Directing New Writing with Pooja Ghai and Layla Madanat

2.30pm-5pm | Saturday 12 November

One for early career directors! An interactive workshop with Tamasha’s Artistic Director, Pooja Ghai, and Assistant Director on HAKAWATIS, Layla Madanat, on directing new writing within the subsided sector.

Looking at the Ishy Din’s play text, APPROACHING EMPTY (directed by Pooja), Pooja will talk through her process of directing – giving insights and tips and tricks for the rehearsal room. You’ll also be exploring the directing ‘pathway’, industry obstacles and leadership.

Email Samia at Tamasha to sign up for this workshop

PERFORMANCES – with Live Music 

7.30pm – 9pm | Saturday 12 November

1918 

By JC Niala. Directed by Manisha Sondhi 

There was a theatre of the First World War in East Africa. Not all soldiers died yet not all returned. 

Butterfly  

By Nicole Joseph. Directed by Amelia Thornber 

Set in Northern England, two friends try to keep together over the course of their teens, adolescence and early adulthood, but relationship trauma threatens to pull them apart. 

Lessons On How to Communicate in the English Language 

By Phoebe McIntosh. Directed by Kirk-Ann Roberts 

Three decades after the revolution promised a new Romania, two young women – one English, one Romanian – must learn how to exist there, how to speak each other’s languages and how to break free of the expectations of the men in their lives and find their own paths. 

Somewhere in the Near Future 

By Lekhani Chirwa. Directed by Melina Namdar 

Sometime in the near future, after the most recent pandemic and cost of living crisis. Black, Brown and Minoritised key workers are on strike, and government and society as we knew it has crumbled. 

No Escape 

By Yassmin Abdel-Magied. Directed by Harris Albar 

A group of friends grapple with loyalty in the age of social media after one of them finds themselves cancelled online… 

7.30pm-9pm | Sunday 13 November

Manfred 

By Zain Dada. Directed by Prashant Tailor 

Kareem is 40, in debt and his dead parents’ cash & carry is on the line.  Life is a mess. Will a Faustian pact with an old friend, Manfred, save his soul? 

Fishbait 

By Vivian Xie. Directed by Simonne Mason 

The Clearance 

A Glittering Kind of Grief 

By Gayathiri Kamalakanthan. Directed by Adrian David Paul 

A Tamil trans child at a funeral questions how we honour the dead and the living. 

The Boys Quarters 

By Louisa Hayford. Directed by Patrick Ellis 

Post-Show Drinks – 9pm-10pm