I'm still working out exactly what and how much I am going to see but I have got a few selections of the things that have definitely caught my eye.
- PLAY: The Subterranean Season - one of my favourite things that I saw last year was PLAY, whose collaborative approach sees writers, directors and actors come together for two weeks to create brand new plays, so I look forward to seeing what this year's cohort (which includes writers Kate Kennedy and Abi Zakarian, directors Holly Race-Roughan and Anthony Lau, and actors Emily Barber, Jessica Clarke and Mariam Haque) comes up with.
- Don't Let Me Down - calling something a sad comedy is pretty much a guarantee of getting me along and Andy Goddard's one-woman show (performed by Ciara Baxendale) is no exception.
- Summer Nights in Space - being billed as a something of a thematic sequel to Edinburgh hit The Quentin Dentin Show, Henry Carpenter tackles the lesser-explored genre of sci-fi musical - need I say more?
- What Shall We Do With The Cello? - an opportunity here to see a play by Romania’s most prolific and celebrated contemporary playwright, Matei Visniec. A surreal comedy that also features the live music of one of the world’s leading avant garde composers Iancu Dumitrescu, this seems a most intriguing proposition.
- Astronauts of Hartlepool – Brexit Britain, the North/South divide and immigration combine in this piece from Tim Foley. Two strangers (played by Rakhee Thakrar and Sophie Steer) meet on the headland and a epic battle begins.
- >taur_ - I do like a good immersive theatre challenge and BROKENSTEREO's dramatic, interactive retelling of the classic Theseus myth looks like it could be good fun.
- A Year From Now - a new production from RedBellyBlack Theatre, this is a combination of verbatim and physical theatre, using movement and audio narrative, that asks 14 people ‘where do you see yourself a year from now?’.
- Becoming Shades - A dark immersive underground circus experience retelling the myth of Persephone with aerial acrobatics, live music, fire, dance and mime.
There's also a film festival premiering numerous exciting shorts and features, including are dark_net staring Johnny Vegas, Love Comes Later, a London premiere staring Sarita Choudhury, and Y Llygrgell/The Library Suicides - an offbeat thriller set in the National Library of Wales with Catrin Stewart, Dyfan Dwfor and Sharon Morgan; and lots of comedy and late night DJs should you incline that way.
Personally, I'm particularly keen to sample the menu at Martin H Shaw's Eastern European-inspired restaurant Balkano.
BALKANO MENU
‘Bitey’ size - £4
Hungary Hot Potato - Soul-warming trinity of tomatoes, potatoes and cheese
Slavic Slaw - Zested gherkins, chilli and cabbage with Balkan seasoning
Smoky Serb Salsa & Flatbread - Aubergines, peppers and tomatoes in a recipe from the hearth
‘Mighty’ Size - £9
Bosnian Sausage, Beets and Kajmak Cheese - A flatbread parcel of meat, beet and pomegranate molasses
Chicken Souvlaki with Labneh - The Archduke of Chicken Kebab Wraps, with smoked aubergine
Courgette Souvlaki with Labneh - The Archduke’s vegetarian brother
Super Smash Goulash - Strong, Hot, Marriage-Inducing Beef and Paprika Stew
Combo – any ‘bitey’ and ‘mighty’ dish together - £12
