When the pandemic struck in 2020 we had a tour arranged for our gig-theatre piece Gerrard Winstanley’s True and Righteous Mobile Incitement Unit, and were in the middle of fundraising. That tour didn’t happen, obviously, but five years later one of the venues has invited us to perform. It will be part of a season of performances, talks and other events looking at the theme of protest and Exeter’s role in the Civil War period. The venue is St Nicholas Priory, a fantastic mediaeval building in the heart of Exeter. We will be working with local historians and performers to create a really special version of the show.
After two R&D phases and more than two years in development, we’re finally ready to share Dysbiosis, our latest theatre project — and we’re doing it as part of the 96 Festival on its tenth anniversary.
We’re thrilled to bring this work-in-progress performance and exhibition to Omnibus Theatre in Clapham, South London, marking an exciting moment for Daedalus as we step outside our usual East London base to join this landmark festival in a vibrant new context.
About the Show:
Dysbiosis is a queer-led, multimedia performance that unearths the tangled connections between queerness, place, nature and environmental justice. Developed through collaboration with working class, global majority and LGBTQ+ Londoners, it weaves together original music, spoken word, performance and visual storytelling to explore how we live in and with the natural world.
Do you have a story to tell about kindness in Tower Hamlets? We’re looking for storytellers with Caribbean, Somali, or/and West African heritage. If you have a story about acts of kindness, migration, or how Tower Hamlets has shaped your life, we want to hear from you!
About the Project: We’re thrilled to announce Tales of Tower Hamlets, a new storytelling event celebrating the theme of Kindness from the EAST Project. This project will explore the rich history and diverse cultures of Tower Hamlets through stories of migration, community support, and kindness—especially stories of kindness shown by migrant communities to newcomers such as refugees and asylum seekers.
What We’re Looking For:
- Stories about acts of kindness within migrant communities in Tower Hamlets.
- Experiences of newcomers, especially refugees and asylum seekers.
- Historical migration stories linked to East London.
- Contemporary stories about migration today.
- Personal stories—if you feel like sharing!
- Stories that reflect the awesome diversity of East London and Tower Hamlets.
Eligibility:
We’ll be at The Old Rum Factory Festival, at Bow Arts’s Wapping studios, this Saturday, 17th August, with Mud Stories – a performance of stories and music from banks of the Thames.
Come down to the River Thames at low tide and join the mudlarks’ hunt for some very valuable objects that will tell us something unique about London’s history. But there is so much here, how do we know where to look? All we can see are mud, shells, stones, and rubbish! Maybe we can ask someone for help? Who’s this?
Here to guide us are East lead artists Shamim Azad and Sef Townsend, Daedalus assistant producer/director Tasnim Siddiqa Amin and Daedalus director/musician Paul Burgess.
Suitable for all ages but recommended ages 8+, it can be seen at 2pm and 4pm. And it’s free!
The Old Rum Factory Festival is centred on open studios, so you can see the work of the many incredible artists who are based there. But there’s lots else to see as well, including a whole programme of workshops. You can get all the details here.
We’ll leave you with a snap from rehearsals. Hope to see you there!
“Such beautiful conversations, and lasting connections made” – Exhibition Launch Attendee
Last month we launched the DYSBIOSIS: CREATIVE NATURE EXHIBITION in Rainham. Over four workshops, Rainham and Wennington locals of all ages came together to observe the nature around us and express their thoughts creatively and together. A selection of these artworks are now available to view as you ascend the stairs at the Royals Youth Centre.
Here is an extract of a poem written by Wennington resident and Change Maker Laurence:
Musicians! You’re invited to East Music: Song and Tune Exchange Session at Poplar Union on Saturday 6 July
After an incredible pilot session, we are thrilled to be back at Poplar Union for a Summer Edition this July.
Bring your instruments and voices along with songs or tunes from across the world to play, sing and share. There may be an opportunity to play to a live audience later in the evening.
This is a free, friendly and inclusive session for players of all levels of experience. Global Majority* and LGBTQ+ music makers are particularly welcome. The session will be led by one of our East musicians.
Date: Saturday 6th July 2024
Time: 4-6.30PM
Duration: 2.5 hours including a 30 minute break
Location: Poplar Union
Ages: 18+
Musicians! You’re invited to East Music: Song and Tune Exchange Session at Poplar Union on Saturday 23rd March, 4PM-6.30PM
Bring your instruments and voices along with songs or tunes from across the world to play, sing and share.
This is a free, friendly and inclusive session for players of all levels of experience – Global Majority* and LGBTQ+ music makers are particularly welcome. The session will be led by East musicians Andy Bannister, Michele Chowrimootoo and Paul Burgess.
This is a new strand of our East Storytelling project, and we hope to extend it to further sessions. All being well, there’ll also be an opportunity to share the results with a live audience later in the year.
Calling all Rainham and Wennington residents!
Our latest community programme is now live for DYSBIOSIS: Creative Nature Workshops.
Join Daedalus Theatre Company for some fun and relaxed drop-in workshops and contribute to a collaborative artwork that will be displayed at Rainham Royals and Queens Theatre Hornchurch. Sign up via Google Forms here. If you need support with the form email tasnim@daedalustheatre.co.uk or if you prefer to do it on the phone, call Tasnim on 07942 476053
Location: Rainham and Wennington, East London
Dates:
Session 1. Saturday 24 February 2024, 11AM-2.30PM
Nature Walk at Rainham Marshes, Purfleet
Meeting point: Rainham Library, 6 Celtic Farm Road, Rainham RM13 9GP
Session 2. Friday 1 March 2024, 6-8.30PM
Creative Workshop, Royals Youth Centre, Viking Way, Rainham, RM13 9YG
Session 3. Friday 8 March 2024, 6-8.30PM
Creative Workshop, Royals Youth Centre, Viking Way, Rainham, RM13 9YG
Session 4. Friday 15 March 2024, 6-8.30PM
Creative Workshop, St Mary & St Peter’s Church, Wennington Road, Wennington, RM13 9DX
Meeting point in Rainham for those who need transport to Wennington TBC.
Plus follow-up sessions later in the year!
You do not need to attend every workshop.
Be part of a fun and relaxed project to explore how we relate to nature and the natural world. Havering is one of London’s greenest boroughs! It’s rich in nature and history. For example, did you know that 400,000 years ago, the Anglian ice sheets reached as far as Hornchurch, forcing the Thames into its present course, or that if you’re lucky, at low tide, you can see the remnants of an ancient forest from the Neolithic age?
This is an opportunity to explore your creativity with the support of interdisciplinary arts professionals from the Dysbiosis project. You’ll be guided through the process of making a personal creative response to the theme, then work with the rest of the group to make an installation that combines everyone’s work. The work will then be showcased at Rainham Royals and Queens Theatre Hornchurch. No experience necessary.
Who is it for? All residents of the Rainham and Wennington area are welcome. Aimed at adults but children are welcome if supervised by an adult.
For more information, email Assistant Producer/Director Tasnim at tasnim@daedalustheatre.co.uk or call 07942 476053
Organised by Daedalus Theatre Company in partnership with Havering Changing and support from Queens Theatre Hornchurch and Arts Council England.
Check out the Daedalus website and sign up for the Daedalus newsletter for more about the project Dysbiosis, the company and the latest Dysbiosis project updates or follow us on Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Facebook.
Massive thanks to our wonderfully supportive audience, to Ruksana Begum and all at A Season at Bangla Drama, to Jack Birch, John Anthony and the rest of the Rich Mix Team, to Maeve O’Neill at Rua Arts, to our sponsors and funders, and of course to all our incredible artists.
The show was filmed by Marble Sinew and photographed by A Season of Bangla Drama regular Rehan Jamil. But first, let us share the wonderful reel made by Nabeela Zaman:
Next, the official pics from Rehan:
Here’s the video of the show, filmed and edited by Marble Sinew:
Finally, some photos by Jonathan Chan and Kanatip Soonthornrak, and a picture, again by Rehan, of Shamim and Paul being presented with an award for being part of the 20th year of A Season of Bangla Drama.
As part of A Season of Bangla Drama, Sunday 19th November 2023, 5:30PM we return to the iconic East London venue Rich Mix, where the East storytelling started in December 2013.
We have an exciting evening of stories and live music for you, and are thrilled to announce the incredible talent that will be taking the stage this Sunday. Farah Naz makes a return to EAST with the story of ‘The Queen of Sheba and Solomon’, we will hear the tale of ‘Rochael the Gossip’ from John Heyderman, Andy Bannister of The Black Smock Band singing ‘The Water is Wide’ and a reimagining of ‘The Sultana’s Dream’ from EAST newcomer Tasnim Siddiqa Amin. We’re also joined by musician and singer Hasan Ahmed and percussionist Michele Chowrimootoo.