In episode 20 of Theatre Chat Live, Jess is joined by special guests Gabrielle Brooks,who will be playing Nadine in the upcoming play J’Ouvert at the Harold Pinter Theatre and Paul Taylor-Mills, Artistic Director at The Turbine Theatre.
J’Ouvert is the debut play of James Tait Black Award-winner Yasmin Joseph and reveals Notting Hill Carnival through the eyes of two best friends navigating the joys and dangers of young Black womanhood in 21st Century Britain.
Gabrielle shares her own experiences with carnival and how from the age of 15, attending Notting Hill Carnival became an annual tradition for her and her close friends. She explains how the play resonates with her life and how she feels carnivals have evolved over time. Gabrielle also gives us an insight into her important work with BlackStage UK, a documentary style web series that addresses the racial injustices experienced by Black workers in the UK’s creative and entertainment industries.
The second guest of this week’s Theatre Chat Live is Paul Taylor-Mills, former Artistic Director at The Other Palace and now the Artistic Director at The Turbine Theatre in Battersea. Jess chats to Paul all about his journey into the industry, from an actor to a young producer. His career highlights includes working on In The Heights, Heathers The Musical and attending (and winning!) at the Olivier Awards.
One of his most recent projects, the MT Fest, showcases new musicals with a view to elevating them to full production, and giving audiences an insight into the process of creating new work and the art of collaboration. Featuring eight different shows, there’s something for everyone! The festival is currently embarking on a digital UK tour until 4 July!
If you’d like to celebrate the return of theatre #BackOnStage, be sure to check out the video below and book your tickets below!
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Don’t forget to tune in to Theatre Chat Live next Tuesday at 6pm on Official London Theatre’s Instagram channel for more special guests and stagey chat! And, if you’d like to check out some of our previous episodes, head to our playlist, here.